Staff Report
Published July 1, 2009

The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation has approved grant applications totaling more than $1.5 million for health-related programs in South Carolina.

The grants are for periods of one to three years.

Since the Foundation was established in 2003, it has granted more than $24 million to address such issues as childhood health, community health, the increasing need for free medical clinics, mental health, obesity, diabetes, nursing and research — all to organizations in South Carolina that serve South Carolinians.

The foundation decides on its grant awards twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. The latest round includes funding for groups located throughout the state. The recipients are:

• Florence County School District 5, Johnsonville, for services to uninsured and underinsured students to be provided through a Campus Health Center.
• Communities in Schools, Charleston and Berkeley counties, for student support specialists to identify students at the highest risk for substance abuse and risky sexual behaviors.
• South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, to develop and implement pregnancy prevention strategies for underinsured and uninsured persons ages 18 and 19 in Sumter County and statewide.
• Family Service Center, Lexington and Richland counties, to replace clinic equipment and purchase dental supplies for the children and adult dental clinics.
• Florence Crittenton Programs of South Carolina, Charleston, to provide age-appropriate pre-natal care, emotional support, pregnancy and labor education, parenting skills, and future pregnancy prevention services to high-risk, low-income pregnant girls and young women statewide.
• Anderson Free Clinic, Anderson, to support a part-time nurse practitioner.
• Clemson Free Clinic, Clemson, for equipment and support for part-time pharmacy services.
• Community Medical Clinic of Kershaw County, Kershaw County, for support of a nurse practitioner’s salary and to purchase patient medications.
• Free Medical Clinic of Darlington County, for operational needs for the Darlington clinic and the satellite clinic in Hartsville, including salaries, medical supplies and medications.
• The Free Medical Clinic, Richland County, for portions of nurse practitioner and patient assistance program coordinator salaries, for medications and diabetic supplies.
• Friendship Medical Clinic & Pharmacy, Horry County, for medical and operational expenses, patient medications, pharmacy supplies and portion of staff salaries.
• Good Samaritan Clinic, Richland County, for support of salaries for staff and a part-time nurse practitioner, for malpractice insurance and medical equipment.
• Good Samaritan Medical Clinic, Chester, Lancaster, Union and Fairfield counties, for support of a part-time doctor on staff as well as lab and medication expenses.
• Palmetto Volunteers in Medicine, York County, for medications, operating expenses for volunteer nurse practitioners, medical supplies and radiology services.
• Samaritan Health Clinic of Pickens County, Pickens County, for support of a nurse practitioner, pharmacy services, data entry clerk and patient medications.
• Smith Medical Clinic, Georgetown, for a diabetes disease management program including medications, medication supplies, office/home lab testing supplies and educational materials.
• Rice Creek Elementary, Richland County, for fitness components for the eFIT Academy, a school-wide magnet program to encourage students to live healthier, fit lifestyles and address obesity issues.
• USC School of Medicine, Fairfield County Schools to implement the Coordinated Approach to Child Health program, a coordinated school health program designed to decrease fat and sodium in children’s diets and increase physical activity and address obesity.