Marin Community Foundation gives $250,000 in grants for disease prevention

Third round of funding from Sutter Health Access to Care Fund distributed

NOVATO -- The Marin Community Foundation provided a $250,000 grant from the Sutter Health Access to Care Fund to the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services to help prevent and detect disease among uninsured low-income residents of Marin. It was the third round of funds distributed from the $10 million donor-advised fund administered by the foundation.

The county will distribute these funds to community clinics and other nonprofit health care providers serving low-income residents.

"Prevention and early detection protocols are extremely important," said foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Peters. "These clinical services help keep peopleĀ  healthy."

Some funds will be used to expand the number of vaccinations for low-income residents for diseases such as hepatitis, herpes and pneumonia.

"We are extremely please with the impact this first year of grants is already having in Marin," said Martin Brotman, M.D., president of Sutter Health's West Bay Region. "The purpose of this fund is to address disparities in health care between uninsured patients and those with insurance who have access to services."

Marin Community Foundation and Sutter Health started the health access fund in 2010. In the fund's first year, the foundation distributed $2 million to a number of community health centers for dental care, vaccinations, behavioral health services, substance abuse treatment, health coverage for uninsured children and adult day health programs for older adults. Among the recipients were Marin Community Clinics, the Coastal Health Alliance, the Ritter Center and LifeLong Medical Care.

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