HHS Announces $647,072 In Grants To Prevent Chronic Diseases In Indiana

Last updated on Tuesday, September 30, 2014

(INDIANAPOLIS) - Funded in part by the Affordable Care Act, grants focus on preventing tobacco use, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell today announced $647,072 in grant awards to Indiana to support programs aimed at preventing chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Funded in part by the Affordable Care Act, the awards will strengthen state and local programs aimed at fighting these chronic diseases, which are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States, and help lower our nation's health care costs.

This award will help Indiana implement statewide cross-cutting approaches to promote health and prevent chronic diseases and their risk factors, with a special focus on populations hardest hit by chronic diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will administer the grant.

"These grants will empower our partners to provide the tools that Hoosiers need to help prevent chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes," said Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell. "Today's news is important progress in our work to transition from a health care system focused on treating the sick to one that also helps keep people well throughout their lives."

The goals of the grant funding nationally are:

Reduce rates of death and disability due to tobacco use;
Reduce obesity prevalence; and
Reduce rates of death and disability due to diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

"Tobacco use, high blood pressure and obesity are leading preventable causes of death in the United States," said CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH. "These grants will enable Indiana local health departments, community organizations, and other partners from all sectors of society to help prevent heart disease, cancer, stroke, and other leading chronic diseases, and help Hoosiers to live longer, healthier and more productive lives." This is one of many ways the Affordable Care Act is improving access to preventive care, and coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. Under the Affordable Care Act, 76 million Americans nationwide in private health insurance have gained access to preventive care services without cost-sharing and issuers can no longer deny coverage to anyone because of a pre-existing condition. Nationally, chronic diseases are responsible for 7 of 10 deaths among Americans each year, and they account for more than 80 percent of the $2.7 trillion our nation spends annually on medical care. For state-by-state lists of funding awards visit: cdc.gov.

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