Optometry Cares – The AOA Foundation and the American Optometric Association recently named the 2010 recipients of the Healthy Eyes Healthy People® (HEHP) State Grant program. The 2010 grants were generously funded by Luxottica.
The Optometry Cares’ Community Grants Committee evaluated, selected and administered this year’s projects.
“Healthy Eyes Healthy People® is a program that is committed to improving the vision and health of all Americans,” said Fred Dubick, OD, MBA, chair of the Community Grants Committee. “The HEHP grants are a tool for optometrists to change community health programs so that vision services are recognized as vital to the health care system and to improving the qualify of life for all Americans.”
“During the past six years, we have seen the Healthy Eyes Healthy People projects in action across almost every state in the U.S., with programs ranging from vision care for the homeless to preschool vision screenings and diabetes awareness projects,” said Luxottica USA President Andrea Dorigo. “We have seen how these innovative community outreach programs promote both eye health and disease prevention.”
2010 award winners are: Dr. Chris J Babin, Wash.; Dr. W. Lee Ball, Mass.; Dr. LeeAnn Barrett, Mo.; Dr. Mark Curtis, Mo.; Dr. Keshia Elder, Ala.; Ms. Jill Gonder, Iowa; Dr. John R. Hayes, Ore.; Dr. Denmark R. Jensen, Utah; Ms. Alissa Johnson, Neb.; Ms. Jessica Miller, Minn.; Dr. Joyce Nations, Ga.; Dr. Joan Portello, N.Y.; Dr. Lawrence A. Ragone, N.J.; Ms. Rina Salazar, Alaska; Dr. Janene Sims, Ala.; Dr. Heidi Sutter, Wash.; Dr. Patricia Westfall-Elsberry, Ark.; Dr. Kenny Wyatt, Ark.; and Dr. Jasmine Yumori, Calif.
Healthy Eyes Healthy People® is an ambitious public-private program to improve the eye and visual health of Americans. The HEHP grants are based on the Healthy People 2010 initiative, which was developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to improve the health of Americans.
The Healthy Eyes Healthy People® State Grant Program is intended to stimulate community initiatives in health promotion and disease prevention that support the vision objectives of Healthy People 2010. Applicants must propose a project that focuses on a Healthy People 2010 vision objective. The HEHP grants should strengthen the outreach of community-based organizations by providing “seed money” to begin or continue vision-related projects.
Since the program’s inception in 2004, $1,080,000 in grant dollars has been distributed to state optometric associations for community outreach projects. These 299 grants have funded collaborative community outreach projects, including projects in diabetes, glaucoma, children's vision, eye safety and low vision.
For more information about the HEHP program, please contact Uzma Zumbrink DHSc, MPH, at (314) 983-4146 or UAZumbrink@aoa.org
submitted by Uzma Zumbrink