FOR GENERAL RELEASE:
April 7, 2004
April 7, 2004
MEDIA CONTACT:
Joe Blackmon
Santa Clara Family Health Plan
408 874-1842
jblackmon@scfhp.com
Joe Blackmon
Santa Clara Family Health Plan
408 874-1842
jblackmon@scfhp.com
FIRST 5 AWARDS $1.6 MILLION TO SANTA CLARA FAMILY HEALTH FOUNDATION FOR HEALTHY KIDS PROGRAM
Campbell, CA – April 7, 2004 – Santa Clara Family Health Foundation announced that FIRST 5 has made another major funding commitment to the Healthy Kids health care insurance program. The $1.6 million grant from FIRST 5 will cover the costs of providing Healthy Kids coverage for children from birth through age 5 for the period January through June 2004. FIRST 5 has invested a total of $8 million in the Healthy Kids program since it began in January 2001.
FIRST 5 was the first organization to actually commit funding for the Healthy Kids program by providing the necessary funds for children from birth through age 5. FIRST 5, thereby, not only ensured health care coverage for those children but also became a catalyst for additional funds by making their gift a challenge grant to other public and private entities.
The Healthy Kids program insures children ages 0 to 19 who do not meet the eligibility criteria for the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs and who cannot afford other health care coverage. Healthy Kids is administered by Santa Clara Family Health Plan and currently provides medical, dental, vision and mental health insurance to some 13,000 children in the County. FIRST 5 has played a major role in the program’s success and today, Healthy Kids serves as a model for similar efforts to insure children throughout the state.
“Our partnership with FIRST 5 has been critical to the success of the Healthy Kids program from the very beginning,” said Leona M. Butler, Chief Executive Officer of Santa Clara Family Health Plan. “This new gift helps ensure that we will have the resources needed to continue Healthy Kids enrollment for children from birth through 5 years. We thank FIRST 5 for helping us provide essential health care services to children in Santa Clara County. Their commitment serves as a shining example of responsible leadership in our community.”
“We are building our successes,” said Frederick Ferrer, FIRST 5 Commission Chair. “FIRST 5’s $8 million investment in the Healthy Kids program has provided medical, dental and vision care services for more than 5,500 previously uninsured young children. With this additional funding we are helping more young children enter school healthy and ready to reach their greatest potential in school and life.”
In addition to support from FIRST 5, Healthy Kids receives funds from Santa Clara County and City of San Jose tobacco settlement funds. It also receives private funding from a number of donors, including California HealthCare Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the California Endowment, The Health Trust, The Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and El Camino Hospital. These additional funds provide coverage for children ages 6 to 19.
About FIRST 5
Research shows that a child’s brain develops most dramatically in the first five years and what parents and caregivers do during these years to support their child’s growth will have a meaningful impact throughout life. Based on this research, California voters passed Proposition 10 in 1998, adding a 50 cent-per-pack tax on cigarettes to support programs for expectant parents and children ages prenatal through age 5. FIRST 5 Santa Clara County distributes approximately $25 million a year in Prop 10 revenues to programs and services that meet local needs. FIRST 5 is committed to promoting and supporting the healthy development of children prenatal through 5 and their families. For more information visit http://www.first5kids.org/.
About Santa Clara Family Health Foundation
Santa Clara Family Health Plan established Santa Clara Family Health Foundation in May 2000. The Foundation was formed to distribute excess revenues realized by the health Plan to community health programs, and to be a vehicle for seeking and receiving grant funds to support health services research and innovative health care programs for Santa Clara County residents. For more information visit http://www.healthyfamilyfund.org/
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