The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mark McClellan, M.D., Ph.D. today announced a $24,683 grant to HOPE Worldwide, in Philadelphia, Pa., to help improve access to health care for drug addicts and alcoholics, and their families.
Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, chairman of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, sponsored the grant for HOPE Worldwide.
Through the grant, HOPE Worldwide proposes to increase the accessibility of health care to these individuals and families through outreach and education. Using a combination of programs, the organization has proposed to go into the North Philadelphia community and surrounding areas. It will provide health education to adults and youth in a variety of settings and assist individuals applying for various government-sponsored programs.
“The overall worthy goal of HOPE Worldwide in North Philadelphia is to get health insurance for 100 individuals and link them to health care service,” Dr. McClellan said. “These persons have fallen down in our society, and may not know about possible assistance from Medicaid, Medicare or other government programs that could meet their health care needs.”
“To overcome drug and alcohol addictions, these individuals need access to quality health care,” Sen. Specter said. “HOPE Worldwide is an important conduit for these individuals to obtain the necessary medical attention, and I applaud their initiative in the North Philadelphia area.”
This grant was set aside by Congress to ensure funding for the project as part of the fiscal year 2004 appropriations for the Department of Health and Human Services. CMS is part of HHS. The grant is for no more than one year.