Pictured front row, left to right, are Senator Adelaide C. Eckardt; Donna Clark, Executive Director, Help and Outreach Point of Entry in Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties; Mary Burgoyne, MD, Chair, QHF; Catherine Smoot-Haselnus, MD, Chair, QHS Board of Directors. Pictured back row, left to right, are Ken MacFarlane, Board Chairman, Help and Outreach Point of Entry; and Delegate John F. Mautz, IV.[/caption]

EASTON — Quality Health Foundation (QHF), the mission arm of Quality Health Strategies (QHS), recently awarded grants totaling $400,000 to 15 organizations in Maryland and the District of Columbia supporting local healthcare-related quality improvement efforts.

Among them is the Salisbury University, which received $40,000 for the Early Childhood Education and Outreach Project. It provides education and resource material for new mothers and young families in Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties. It also provides educational activities focused on children of incarcerated parents and children with developmental concerns.

QHF funds will be used to engage a half-time program coordinator and cover other expenses associated with implementation of the project.

Another local beneficiary is Help and Outreach Point of Entry (HOPE), which will use $40,000 to support its adult dental health ministry to the homeless and poor in the tri-county area. The grant will be used to cover administrative costs and pay for discounted dental care, transportation to appointments and prescriptions.

There were 77 requests for funding, and awards ranged between $15,000 and $40,000. Among the factors that determined which organization would receive a grant included a project’s potential impact to quality healthcare especially among uninsured and underinsured patients, and at-risk populations.

“Our Board felt challenged this year with our grant selection,” said Dr. Molly Burgoyne, QHF Board of Directors Chair. “Many organizations submitted high-quality programs designed to improve the health of our most vulnerable populations. Ultimately, we chose a stellar group of programs covering a wide geographic area with diverse health concerns. We look forward to supporting these projects, learning from them, and analyzing their progress.”

Dr. Catherine Smoot-Haselnus, QHS Board Chair, summed it up by saying, “We are delighted to fund these worthy organizations. Their work is perfectly aligned with our mission to improve the health status of individuals and communities.”

Since 2006, Quality Health Foundation has awarded grants totaling more than $4.1 million to 61 organizations in Maryland and D.C. For more information, visit www.qualityhealthfoundation.org/.