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Community Health Organizations Assemble in Washington, D.C. For Johnson & Johnson Community Health Care Event

Posted on: Monday, 24 April 2006, 09:02 CDT

WASHINGTON, April 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Representatives of 10 community health organizations from across the United States have traveled to the nation's capital to receive a Johnson & Johnson Community Health Care Crystal Award. The award is presented annually to organizations that demonstrate excellence in providing innovative community health-based services that meet the needs of the medically underserved. Award recipients will be given a two- year grant as well as sustainability-enhancing support services from doctoral students affiliated with Johns Hopkins University.

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) will honor the 2006 grant recipients at a special awards ceremony tonight at the Renwick Gallery.

"Families across the country are struggling to access quality, affordable health care," said Senator Murray. "In communities large and small, local leaders are coming together to craft innovative solutions. I'm proud to help celebrate the 10 organizations that are being honored with the Johnson & Johnson Community Health Care Crystal Award."

The following 10 organizations will receive the Johnson & Johnson Community Health Care Crystal Award and grant funding:

* Central New Jersey Maternal and Child Health Consortium (North Brunswick, N.J.) -- A not-for-profit organization acting as advocates and catalysts to improve the health of infants, children, and women of childbearing age by identifying maternal and child health needs within the region. Funding will be used to develop an infant obesity prevention program. * Columbus AIDS Task Force (Columbus, Ohio) -- A full service, community- based, nonprofit AIDS organization providing comprehensive services, educational programs and an HIV testing program. CATF's mission is to fight the spread of HIV, reduce the stigma and resulting discrimination through education and awareness, and provide quality services to individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS. Grant funding will be used to expand a pilot outreach program targeting the growing Hispanic population. * DDC Clinic for Special Needs Children (Middlefield, Ohio) -- A nonprofit, outpatient, pediatric clinic working in cooperation with local, national and international physicians, hospitals and universities to enhance the quality of life for special needs children with metabolic and inherited disorders. It accomplishes this through early diagnosis and treatment, research, and education. With the help of grant funding, the DDC Clinic will expand its current services to target the underserved rural Amish population. * Easter Seals of West Alabama (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) -- Its mission is to provide exceptional services to ensure that all people with disabilities or special needs and their families have equal opportunities to live, learn, work, and play in their communities. This is achieved through the provision of Outpatient Rehabilitation Programs, consisting of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech/language therapy and audiology, and vocational programs. Funding will allow the organization to start an occupational therapy (OT) program for children ages 3 to 5 where no outpatient community-based OT service currently exists. * The Farmworker Association of Florida, Inc. (Apopka, Fla.) -- A nonprofit, grassroots membership organization that strives to build a strong, multiracial, economically viable organization of farm workers in Florida. Since 1983, this organization has empowered minority farm workers in rural poor communities to address the social, political, economic, workplace, health, and environmental justice issues that affect their lives. Grant funds will be utilized to expand an existing program, which targets undocumented immigrant women in need of health care assistance. * M-POWER Ministries (Birmingham, Ala.) -- A faith-based social services ministry that works with residents to identify and overcome obstacles preventing them from living complete and connected lives. By partnering with schools, churches, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations, M-POWER works to meet the needs of families and neighborhoods and to provide opportunities for change and growth. Grant funding will be used to expand clinic capacity and services. * Helen Keller International -- ChildSight(R) (Newark, N.J.) -- Strives to eliminate the economic and social barriers that prevent children living in poverty from receiving proper eye care. Partnering with the public school districts in five major N.J. cities, the program helps disadvantaged children overcome obstacles to receiving vision care by providing free vision screenings and prescription eyeglasses to students between the ages of 10 and 15. Funding will help ChildSight(R) screen children, distribute eyeglasses, refer children for follow-up treatment, and raise community and parental awareness of eye health. * Ozark Mountain Health Network (Clinton, Ark.) -- A formal, incorporated, vertical health care network with a full-time staff that serves residents in Searcy and Van Buren counties. These two counties represent over 1,300 square miles of geographically dispersed, impoverished, and underserved residents with a higher than average disease burden and a lower than average educational level. Through funding, the organization looks to initiate a new program that will allow families to connect with medical facilities regardless of their ability to pay. * St. Francis Clinic of Siloam Springs (Siloam Springs, Ark.) -- Since 2002, has provided medical services to the financially challenged, many of whom have little or no access to health care. Through this grant, the clinic will serve more patients, improve the quality and consistency of patient care, provide low-cost and free medications, and enhance the clinic's existing programs. With grant funding, the organization will expand its clinic hours, increase its medical staff and provide patients access to medications. * Third Avenue Charitable Organization (San Diego, Calif.) -- A social outreach program and nonprofit charity that serves the homeless, elderly and working poor in the area. Through a strong coalition of community partnerships, the organization offers free meals, free medical and acupuncture clinics, and free mental health counseling services to hundreds of people each week. Through grant funding, the organization looks to increase the number of unduplicated patients served by 30 percent.

In addition, EXCELth, Inc. of Baton Rouge, La., as well as Cynthia J. Hickman, R.N. and St. Luke's Episcopal Health System in Houston, Texas, will be honored with the 2006 Johnson & Johnson Community Health Care Leadership Award for outstanding relief efforts surrounding Hurricane Katrina. Each will receive a one-time grant to expand current services and advance the quality of care in underserved communities. Larry H. Hollier, M.D., chancellor of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, will present the two organizations with their award at a separate ceremony held at the Hotel Monaco on April 25, 2006. Since 1994, the award has recognized and rewarded an individual or organization demonstrating excellence in community health care.

"It is with great pleasure that I present these awards to two outstanding organizations, both dedicated and steadfast to their commitment to community health, especially during the worst natural disaster our region has ever experienced," said Dr. Hollier.

"The passionate commitment of the community health organizations and people we're honoring is truly remarkable," said Sharon D'Agostino, vice president of Corporate Contributions and Community Relations at Johnson & Johnson. "These organizations are making great strides in improving health care in their local communities, and this is exactly what our Community Health Care Program hopes to achieve across the country."

In partnership with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Community Health Care Program -- which is fully underwritten by Johnson & Johnson -- has awarded funding to nearly 150 pioneering organizations in 36 states and in Puerto Rico throughout its 19-year history. These organizations are recognized for their distinctive programs, offering innovative solutions to complicated health care challenges. The Johnson & Johnson Community Health Care Program is one of 11 "Signature Programs" that carries the Johnson & Johnson logo and exemplifies the Company's longstanding Credo commitment to communities and social responsibility.

Johnson & Johnson is the world's most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care products, as well as a provider of related services, for the consumer, pharmaceutical, and medical devices and diagnostics markets. The more than 230 Johnson & Johnson operating companies employ approximately 115,600 men and women in 57 countries and sell products throughout the world.

Johnson & Johnson

CONTACT: Robert Sunga, +1-732-524-3361, mobile: +1-973-393-7897 orJessica Giangaspero, +1-732-524-1972, mobile: +1-862-202-6736, both of Johnson& Johnson

Source: PRNewswire

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