News & Media
April, 2008
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ST JOSEPH HEALTH
SERVICES RECEIVES $25,000 GRANT FROM
BLUE CROSS & BLUE SHIELD OF
RHODE ISLAND
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Providence, RI: The Diabetes Resource Center at St. Joseph
Health Services of RI (SJHS) has been awarded a $25,000
grant to assist in the integration of mental health services
and medical services for uninsured, high-risk adults who
are living with diabetes.
The award comes from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of
Rhode Island's BlueAngel Community Health Grant program.
The grant will support a pilot project aimed at developing
ways to ensure access to integrated care for uninsured
diabetic patients. Mental health services such as specialized
cognitive behavioral treatment, psychiatric evaluation
and clinical support will be provided to diabetic patients
who are unable to manage their diabetes due to the challenges
of mental illness. Funds will also be used to provide
additional training for St. Joseph Hospital adult primary
care physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of depression
and other common mental health conditions.
"We are pleased to receive this support from Blue
Cross", stated John Fogarty, Acting President of
St. Joseph Health Services. "Our intent is to use
these funds to develop a new model of care for the diabetic
patient who often suffers from accompanying mental illness"
Now in its 17th year of operation, the SJHS Diabetes Resource
Center is the only program of its kind in Rhode Island.
Operating from the Center for Health and Human Services
at St. Joseph Hospital for Specialty Care in South Providence,
the center provides specialized, bi-lingual diabetes education
and medical case management services for high risk diabetic
patients seen at the Adult Primary Care, Walk-in and Women's
Health clinics at the Hospital, as well as for referred
patients from area organizations. The DRC is a participating
member of the Rhode Island Department of Health Diabetes
Prevention and Control Program and the Chronic Care Collaborative.
The DRC utilizes the Chronic Care Model to guide the delivery
of high quality clinical care.
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