January 23, 2007

Contact: Mark Upson, Diabetes Program Chair
Health Improvement Collaborative of Greater Cincinnati
Phone 513-281-7107 or
Beth Reiter, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation
Phone 513-241-2880

Health Improvement Collaborative Receives $50,000 to Fund Diabetes Screenings

The Health Improvement Collaborative of Greater Cincinnati has received $50,000 from The Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) to support its Greater Cincinnati Diabetes Program (GCDP). This amount includes $3,500 from the Frances Ehrlich Wolf Fund, in memory of Alfred Max Stern.

The GCF grant will be used to fund the GCDP’s “No Undiagnosed Diabetics” initiative, whereby adult patients are screened at area Federally Qualified Health Centers.

“We are pleased to be working with the Greater Cincinnati Foundation to address such a crucial health issue,” said Mark Upson, GCDP chair. “Considering that medical costs for untreated diabetics average $4,000 per year more than those who receive effective treatment, it makes sense to implement the ‘No Undiagnosed Diabetics’ initiative rather than face staggering increases in health care costs down the road.”

The GCDP represents the first initiative that coordinates both public and private sector diabetes efforts to benefit both insured and uninsured populations. The GCDP strives to connect patients, medical providers and funders into one coordinated “best practices” diabetes detection and treatment program for all Greater Cincinnati residents.

Formed in 1992, the Collaborative is a nonprofit organization that utilizes distinctive, innovative approaches to create a healthier community. The organization brings diverse community stakeholders together in a neutral forum to generate measurable, sustainable health improvement initiatives.

The Greater Cincinnati Foundation is a charitable organization that builds and preserves endowment funds, identifies opportunities to enhance the quality of community life, and responds with grants addressing six key areas: arts and culture, community progress, education, the environment, health, and human services. Formed in 1963, GCF provides philanthropic leadership to eight counties in the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana region.

For more information about the Collaborative and how to support its initiatives, contact Development Director Linda Wilfong at (513) 531-0267 or lwilfong@gchc.org. Or, visit www.the-collaborative.org.

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