VCU Institute for Women’s Health receives grant for $70,000

By Leslie Nelson
University News Services

Virginia Commonwealth University’s Institute for Women’s Health recently received the Jenkins Foundation Award, a grant for $70,000 that will aid in its shelter-based health services project.

The VCU Institute for Women’s Health, in partnership with the YWCA of Richmond, Safe Harbor and Richmond Enhancing Access to Community Healthcare, or REACH, developed the project to increase access to health services for sheltered women and their children.

With the new grant, the project seeks to respond to a recent survey administered at local shelters that found that women often suffer from a host of chronic and acute health conditions, including depression, diabetes, respiratory disease and assault-related physical injuries. Most are not receiving regular health care, dental, vision or hearing screenings.

The project will bring together teams from VCU and other organizations to provide on-site health assessment, care coordination and referral services as well as a health education program for shelter residents and community health providers.

According to Janett Forte, MSW, assistant professor of psychiatry and coordinator of the VCU Institute for Women's Health, providing services in the shelters will allow residents an opportunity to seek health and mental health care services for themselves and their children.

The shelter-based services project estimates it will serve up to 250 women and 75 children living in the YWCA and Safe Harbor shelters.

The Jenkins Foundation is committed to expanding access to community-based services through programs and organizations that have the potential to make a significant impact on the quality of health in the Richmond area.

The VCU Institute for Women’s Health is one of only 20 nationally recognized Centers of Excellence in Women’s Health in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.womenshealth.vcu.edu.