Foundation Awards Health Groups Grants

Six health-care organizations have been awarded the Ventura County Community Foundation’s 1995 Blue Cross Community Clinics Fund Awards.

The grants, totaling $285,704, will improve the accessibility and affordability of health-care services in Ventura County.

Child Abuse and Neglect (CAAN) will receive a $60,279 grant to serve at-risk children in Oxnard by adapting an existing health-care program to integrate mental health services. CAAN will work with Harrington School, El Centrito de la Colonia and the Ventura County Public Health and Ventura County Mental Health departments.

Clinicas del Camino Real was awarded a $60,000 grant to help establish a school-based primary care health clinic for Haycox Elementary School and surrounding high-risk families in Port Hueneme.

Free Clinic of Simi Valley will be given $6,300 to increase its service levels for existing medical and counseling visits.

Interface Children Family Services, in collaboration with the Ventura County Public Health Department, will receive a $45,000 grant for an in-home therapy project for pregnant teen-agers and teen-age parents.

Planned Parenthood of Ventura was awarded a $48,359 grant to provide bilingual peer outreach and education through the Amigo a Amigo Teen Peer Outreach Program. The grant will also enable them to reduce their fees for teen clinic visits.

The Ventura County Public Health Department, in collaboration with the Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Office, will be given $65,766 for a teen-age immunization project to develop a more efficient immunization system for underserved children and teens in the 11 continuation schools in Ventura County.

The Blue Cross Community Clinics Fund is part of a $12.4-million statewide program by the health-care company to support local and regional community health efforts that provide primary health and preventive care to underserved and uninsured residents. The funds were distributed to 20 California community foundations, including the Ventura County Community Foundation.