Mountain View Hospital Foundation Receives $30,000 Grant
The Mountain View Hospital Foundation Community Health Improvement Partnership (CHIP) was informed last week of their successful grant submission to the Northwest Health Foundation. The project that was funded is a partnership development grant to do a community-based participatory research project (CBPR) around population-based BMI (Body Mass Index) assessment among school-aged children in Jefferson County . The grant was submitted jointly with Paul McGinnis of the OHSU-based Oregon Practice-based Research Network, or ORPRN.
The grant to Mountain View Hospital Foundation, CHIP’s supporting organization, is one of only four awarded by the Northwest Health Foundation in 2007 through the Foundation’s community-based participatory research program. The Foundation supports CBPR as a tool to generate meaningful information about community health and build the capacity of groups united by common challenges to organize and advocate for change.
“We currently only have population-based information on 8th and 11th graders in our school systems, and don't have much information about trends on obesity in the lower grades," stated Beth Ann Beamer, CHIP Director. Community-based participatory research partners communities with university researchers for the purpose of conducting research that addresses a community-identified problem, and will be a terrific opportunity for our rural residents, according to Beamer. Childhood overweight (obesity) has long-term personal health and health system implications, and the CHIP has identified reduction of obesity in children and families as one of their priority strategy items.
Jefferson County 8th and 11th graders exceed the State of Oregon averages in both at-risk of overweight, and overweight. "This initial partnership building grant will position us well as we move toward implementing the intervention phase of our efforts next year,” said Beamer. Participation in the CBPR process is open to interested individuals.
For information, please contact Beth Ann Beamer at Mountain View Hospital, 475-3882, extension 2436.