$120 Million in Prevention and Wellness Awards Now Available from CDC

U.S. states and territories may apply for a share of $210 million in prevention and wellness cooperative agreements that will be awarded by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The cooperative agreements are part of the previously announced, $650-million Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative, which will fund public-health efforts to prevent smoking and fight obesity, as well as improving nutrition and increasing physical activity.

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said the money “will assist states and territories in the implementation of proven prevention and wellness programs that will save lives and lower health care costs for all Americans.”

Cooperative agreements will be awarded for statewide policy and environmental change, tobacco cessation through quitlines and media campaigns, and special initiatives to create health-promoting policies and environments. For the first two components, money awarded to each state and territory will be based on population size and number of smokers. For the third component, states will apply for special funds through a competitive process based on the potential health impact of the proposed activities.

Funded projects will emphasize state-level policy and environmental changes that will help communities and schools support healthy choices, according to the announcement. Grantees will have two years to complete their work. “State health departments are the backbone of the public-health system and are uniquely positioned to support and leverage local efforts for chronic disease prevention and control,” noted CDC director Thomas Frieden, M.D.

The application deadline is Nov. 24. Deadlines for additional projects that are part of the Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative will be announced soon. For more details, see the Grants.gov website.