| Health & Human Services Impacts |
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| Overview |
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As more Oregonians are seeking assistance as a result of the recession, the federal recovery package is helping Oregon meet that growing demand in human services .Not only are the state budgets that fund many human services being drastically impacted by the economic downturn, but more individuals are being forced to turn to government assistance. The state is expecting to receive about $1.24 billion in funding to help meet the human services need. A few examples of how the federal recovery package is helping address the growing need in human services include:
- $838 million in medical assistance for Oregonians through the Medicaid program.
- $251 million in food stamps assistance to families throughout the state.
- Over $700 million in Emergency Unemployment Compensation for individuals to continue receiving crucial unemployment insurance as they participate in training or look for employment opportunities.
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| Projects |
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Adoption Assistance - From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Adoption program funding supplement will help Oregon continue to facilitate the timely placement of children whose special needs or circumstances would otherwise make it difficult to place them with adoptive families.
Ambulatory Care - The Ambulatory Surgery Center Healthcare Associate Infection Prevention Initiative will significantly expand the awareness of proper infection control technique among Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASC) and survey agencies, increase the extent to which the infection control deficiencies are both identified and remedied, and prevent future serious infections in ASCs by: a) Improving SA inspection capability and frequency for onsite surveys of ASCs nationwide, b) Using a new infection control survey tool developed by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), c) Improving the survey process through the use of a CMS tracer methodology, and d) Using multi-person teams for ASC's over a certain size and complexity.
Child Care Assistance - The Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), from the federal Department of Health and Human Services, provides low-income families and parents receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) with child care assistance and subsidies. The Recovery Act provides additional funds for quality improvements to child care facilities and educational awards to individual providers.
Chronic Disease Management - In collaboration with the Recovery Act-funded Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) program, this funding will support the deployment of evidence-based chronic disease self-management programs that will: empower older people with chronic diseases to maintain their health status; strengthen and expand existing capacities of the aging and public health networks to deliver these programs at the local level; and embed these structures into statewide systems that provide community-based services and supports to older adults which maintain their health and independence in the community.
Food Delivery to Elderly - The Food Delivery to Elderly Program, or Congregate Meals program, provides meals to seniors in community centers. The services are being provided statewide. This grant provides nutritious meals for seniors who would otherwise not have access to quality meals.
Food Stamps - The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federally funded U.S. Department of Agriculture benefit program to help low-income families, single adults, and childless couples buy the food they need to meet their nutritional needs. The Recovery Act increased benefit payments to Oregon’s eligible citizens by 13.6 percent and provides nearly $250 million of funding through 2011.
Foster Care - From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Foster Care funding supplement within the Recovery Act will continue to help Oregon provide safe and stable out-of-home care for children until they can be safely returned home or placed permanently with adoptive families or other planned arrangements for permanency.
Governor's Wellness Initiative - This grant provides the opportunity for state and territorial health departments to apply for ARRA funds to reduce risk factors, prevent/delay chronic diseases, and promote wellness in both children and adults. The supplement expands activities in the existing Tobacco/Diabetes/BRFSS/Health Communities cooperative agreement to support program capacity to implement effective social, environmental, policy, and systems approaches to help reduce the social inequalities in health by creating healthier communities.
Health Information Technology - From the Center for Disease Control, this Health Information Exchange grant is meant to enhance the data quality, functionality, and scope of the Immunization Information System. This system promotes population-based analysis and assists in disease surveillance activities.
Home Food Delivery to Elderly - The Department of Human Services will receive additional funding to support its home-delivered meals program. Recovery Act funding will replace revenue lost from local sources due to the economic downturn, and support the continued delivery of meals to vulnerable older Americans. Home-delivered meals help seniors to maintain their health and avoid hospitalization and nursing home placement.
Immunizations - These funds are meant to increase the proportion of young children, adolescents and adults who receive all recommended vaccines. The grant funds are intended to fund purchasing additional vaccine and support to build the operational infrastructure needed to deliver and account for those vaccinated.
Vocational Rehabilitation Independent Living - Recovery Act funds for the Independent Living, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, provide services to person with disabilities who need assistance to live as independently as possible within their communities.
Indp. Living for Blind - Recovery Act funds for the Independent Living for the Blind, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, provide services to individuals who are visually impaired or blind to live as independently as possible within their communities. Funds are meant to help States build capacity and improve participant outcomes through short term investment with long term benefit.
Indp. Living for Elderly Blind - Recovery Act funds for the Independent Living for the Elderly Blind, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, provide services to elderly individuals who are visually impaired or blind to live as independently as possible within their communities. Funds are meant to help States build capacity and improve participant outcomes through short term investment with long term benefit.
Medicaid - Medicaid is the primary federal health insurance program for low-income individuals and families. The Recovery Act temporarily increases each state’s Medicaid share by 6.2 percentage points for 27 months. It also gives bonus increases to states with high unemployment growth.
Multi-drug Resistant Study - This grant will help to build and sustain state programs to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAI). Through this supplement, the Center for Disease Control will fund and provide technical assistance to state health departments to make critical short-term investments that will provide for a sustainable state infrastructure on HAI prevention and significant progress toward preventing HAIs.
Prevention of Infections - This funding stream from the Center for Disease Control will allow for enhanced monitoring and investigation of Healthcare-associated Infections. Research in this area will improve existing surveillance efforts and help improve the state’s Healthcare-associated infection prevention efforts.
Primary Care - The overall purpose of the Primary Care Services Resource Coordination and Development Award is to create jobs and improve the healthcare infrastructure. The award funds programs to recruit and retain primary healthcare medical professionals to areas of the state that have populations lacking access to primary care and/or assist areas with underserved and vulnerable populations. This award serves a state-wide population. Safety Net clinics have little or no resources for recruiting medical professionals.
TANF (Family Assistance) - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) provides cash assistance to low-income families with children while they strive to become self-sufficient. The number of families receiving TANF cash assistance benefits has increased statewide by 22.7 percent since February 2008.
Vaccine Evaluation - Awarded by the Center for Disease Control, this funding will help the Department of Human Services evaluate the effectiveness of three different vaccines on children and adolescents.
Varicella Vaccine - The purpose of this funding is to strengthen state and local health department capacity to detect and investigate varicella outbreaks among school-age children and to evaluate the effectiveness of two-dose varicella vaccination in the context of an outbreak.
Voc Rehab for the Blind - Awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, Recovery Act funds for Vocational Rehabilitation provide grants to states to help individuals with disabilities prepare for, obtain, and maintain employment. States are encouraged to use these funds to improve case management, train staff, and enhance the utilization of technology by program participants.
Vocational Rehabilitation - Awarded by the Department of Education, Recovery Act funds for Vocational Rehabilitation provide grants to states to help individuals with disabilities prepare for, obtain, and maintain employment.
WIC Technology - Available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, this grant will complete a feasibility study that will determine recommendations for moving a data system to a web-based platform.
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| Project Categories |
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To learn more about projects near you, take a look at our Tracking the Dollars map to select specific projects or select one of the categories below to learn more about the types of projects funded. Projects can be divided specifically by the following categories:
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