Support for the Health Safety Net in Tough Times
 
The economy is making news every day. In recent months, health safety net organizations across the state have been profiled for their efforts to provide health care to the growing number of uninsured Virginians. Unfortunately, as the demand for care is increasing, charitable giving is decreasing. As John Baumann, the Executive Director of Fan Free Clinic, recently shared in an article in the Richmond Times Dispatch, "We need to grow to meet demand - and are trying to find a way to do so. On the revenue side, corporate funding dropped right away, as one would expect in this economy. At the moment, however, it's all we can do to hold the line"(click here for full article). Many of Virginia's clinics are trying to do the same, while looking for cost effective ways to meet the demand for increased services.
 
In addition to VHCF's health safety net grants (click here for grant guidelines), the Foundation offers several other cost saving resources that may help health safety net organizations "hold the line". When Virginia dental safety net providers spoke at a roundtable discussion about the high cost of dental supplies and the burden these costs were placing on clinic budgets, it was clear that something needed to be done. To help ease the burden, The Virginia Health Care Foundation and Patterson Dental formed a partnership to help the Virginia dental safety net save thousands of dollars a year on dental supplies and equipment. 
 
Through this partnership, providers within the Virginia dental safety net are able to receive significant discounts on dental supplies, equipment and practice management tools, including:

• a 20% discount on dental supplies;
• discounts of 20 - 34% on dental equipment; and
• a 50% discount on EagleSoft dental practice management software and service plans.

Participating providers also are able to place orders electronically and receive free shipping on all orders placed and shipped standard ground from the Patterson Dental, Richmond distribution center. For more information click here, or contact Sarah Bedard Holland, VHCF's Dental Opportunities Coordinator, at (804) 828-5804 or sarah@vhcf.org.
 
To help support Community Health Centers, VHCF provides funding for federal grant writers, and professional grant reviewers to read and review applications to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for Expanded Capcity and New Access Point grants. With a significant amount of federal stimulus money in the pipeline for community health centers, this support has given Virginia's CHCs a leg up in the very competitive application process. Since VHCF began offering this support in 2005, $175,000 in funding for reviewers has resulted in $14.5 million in funding for Virginia's CHCs. To learn more about HRSA Grant Reviewer Support contact Amanda Farnum, VHCF Program Officer, at 804-828-5804 or amanda@vhcf.org
 
To help health safety net organizations build professional capacity, the Foundation makes $650 available to each health safety net organization to pursue professional development opportunities. This quarter alone, funds have been used for the following courses: Trauma, PTSD and Traumatic Grief, The Trauma Resiliency Model, Fundraising in a "tough economy", Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with persons of Faith, and Health Promotion and Education. Organizations must get prior approval from one of the Foundation's program officers to access these funds. Click here, to learn more about utilizing VHCF's professional development support, and explore opportunities for professional development across the state.