Health Program

The Health Program has three long-term goals: to make health and a sense of well-being accessible to everyone; to enable individuals to become full participants in health-related decisions; and to shift the nation's concept of health care from one that is focused on disease to one that is focused on health. In 1992, we pursued these goals by awarding grants to address systemic problems that have a negative impact on the health of low income families with children. We also supported the emerging field of mind/body and behavioral medicine. In addition, we funded projects which approached cancer prevention and treatment from the perspective of the patient. Some of our 1992 grantees are described in detail below.

THE UNDERSERVED

There is a link between poor health and the lack of sufficient income to meet basic human needs. In 1992, we focused on the needs of low income families with children, and on the needs of low-income women. Among the issues addressed by the projects we supported were access to health care for children and nutrition for children and pregnant women. Preference was given to national organizations which provide information and assistance to organizations working at the state and local levels.

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Washington, DC $25,000

CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND
Washington, DC $50,000

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE-BASED CHILD ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS
Washington, DC $75,000

Children have health care needs which exceed those of most adults. To educate national and local policy makers, the media, and the public about children's stake in national health care reform, this grant to George Washington University, the Children's Defense Fund, and the National Association of State-Based Child Advocacy Organizations will enable the three organizations to work collaboratively on the Children's Health Needs Public Education Project.

NATIONAL NETWORK OF RUNAWAY AND YOUTH SERVICES Washington, DC $66,688

According to a 1990 nation al survey, approximately 50% of young people are at moderate or high risk of having serious mental or physical health problems associated with poverty, various kinds of substance abuse, delinquency, and unprotected sex. This grant will support theYouth Development Innovations Planning Project. The goal of the project is to create a training program which will enable a multi-ethnic group of individuals known for their work in the youth services fields to share their knowledge of what works with youth in at-risk situations, including model programs, with less experienced workers in youth-serving agencies. The National Network of Runaway andYouth Services is a membership organization of over 900 community-based youthserving agencies.

MIND/BODY AND BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE

A growing body of scientific evidence supports the view that mental and emotional states affect physical health, and that effective psychological intervention can affect the course of physical illness. Clinical experience and a wealth of anecdotes had previously supported this conclusion, but the results of well-designed experiments are now supplementing these suppositions. In 1992, we supported efforts to bring mind/body techniques into mainstream medical practice.

HARVARD COMMUNITY HEALTH PLAN FOUNDATION
Cambridge, Massachusetts $150,000

Our support will enable the Harvard Community Health Plan to design and implement two projects. The first is conducting a controlled study to determine if mind/body approaches to healing provide greater relief to patients with functional bowel disease than do more traditional approaches, and to determine if they do so more cost effectively. The second is developing and testing a curriculum to train Harvard Community Health Plan doctors in new skills for listening, building trust, seeing the patient as a mind/body unity, and for involving the patient as an active partner in his or her health care.

CANCER

Three out of four families in the United States are touched by cancer. Those families need information about cancer treatment and prevention from a more humane perspective than is generally available. For example, for these families the question is not how many people per thousand contract a particular cancer among a given population. The question is how do members of the family protect themselves against the disease, or what are available treatment options. In 1992, we supported innovative approaches to cancer prevention; promising frontiers of cancer treatment and care; and advocacy for a patient-centered approach to treatment and care.

AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION
New York, NewYork $49,120

African-American adults are more likely to smoke than whites, have lower quit rates, and suffer from lung cancer disproportionately. These problems are exacerbated by a tobacco industry that targets African-Americans. This grant will support the replication of a successful stop smoking program for AfricanAmerican adults. The model program, which is being replicated by 15 local Lung Associations in partnership with community-based churches in their localities, was developed through a collaboration between the John Hopkins Center for Health Promotion and the Clergy United for the Renewal of East Baltimore (CURE). The project used the influence of community-based churches and their pastors as an agent of attitude and behavior change with respect to smoking.

UNIVERS ITY OF ROCHESTER
Rochester, NewYork $175,200

This two-year grant will enable the University of Rochester to conduct a randomized and controlled study on supportive group therapy for women with primary breast cancer: The study will demonstrate three things: (1) whether community-based health professionals can be trained to deliver supportive group therapy, (2) whether women with primary breast cancer will participate in supportive group therapy, and (3) whether the intervention improves quality of life and decreases recurrence. The study is the first of its kind. s two-year grant will enable the University of Rochester to conduct a randomized and controlled study on supportive group therapy for women with primary breast cancer: The study will demonstrate three things: (1) whether community-based health professionals can be trained to deliver supportive group therapy, (2) whether women with primary breast cancer will participate in supportive group therapy, and (3) whether the intervention improves quality of life and decreases recurrence. The study is the first of its kind.