The New Prevention Fund

Oregon and the New Prevention Fund:
An Investment in the Future Health of America

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) included the creation of a Prevention Fund – to provide communities around the country with more than $16 billion over the next 10 years to invest in effective, provide prevention efforts, like childhood obesity prevention and tobacco cessation.

Oregon is receiving 7679267 from the Prevention Fund this year to reduce disease rates in the state and help ensure today’s children are not the first generation in U.S. history to live shorter, less healthy lives than their parent.

Preventing disease and injury is the most effective, common-sense way to improve health in the United States. Too often, however, we focus on treating disease and injury after they occur instead of preventing them – providing sick care instead of health care.

The ACA and the Prevention Fund give us the opportunity to turn that around – and provides the opportunity for all Americans to be as healthy as they can be.

Prevention Fund Grants Amount Description
Communities Putting Prevention to Work $7.5 Million*
  • Non-profit organization Loaves and Fishes, one of the suppliers of meals to seniors in Multnomah County, has implemented an agency policy to increase availability of fresh produce to seniors. Starting in April, all meals provided by Loaves and Fishes will have fresh produce instead of pre-packaged produce. The policy change is a result of conversations between CPPW-funded Aging and Disability staff and the director of the central kitchen of Loaves and Fishes, a push toward sustainability in the agency, and requests from seniors to have more fresh produce. This policy impacts 34 sites across 3 counties, and will reach 5000 people every day. It is anticipated that 300-400 pounds of fresh produce will be used weekly.
  • In Multnomah County, three very large churches have adopted nutrition policies (e.g., limiting sugar-sweetened beverages) and taken steps to improve healthy food access to their congregations. One church removed a deep-fryer from their kitchen which eliminated fried food and potentially reduced their fire insurance rate. An interfaith coalition created a Congregational Health Index tool that helps congregations develop action steps for promoting health. In addition, churches have farm stands available after Sunday services and a buying club where members combine purchasing power to get wholesale prices for produce. Lastly, a community garden at a local mosque is further improving the food served to congregants.
  • The Oregon Healthy Food in Health Care Project (HFHC) is working with eight Multnomah County hospitals that have committed to policies for sustainable food procurement and nutrition standards. One of the project objectives is to move these facilities toward more comprehensive and detailed “policies”. All eight hospitals have signed the HFHC Pledge or developed comprehensive sustainable food and nutrition policies for their food services. One hospital has developed and is currently receiving administration approval for a comprehensive sustainable food policy which includes procurement and nutritional standards. Two others have developed comprehensive sustainable food policies which include procurement and nutritional standards. Two additional hospitals are active participants in the HFHC Project and have indicated an interest in developing comprehensive sustainable food and nutrition policies but have not done so yet. Over 25,000 patient and cafeteria meals are served by hospitals in Multnomah County actively engaged in HFHC work.
  • The Centennial School Board voted unanimously to accept a Wellness Policy that restricts the availability of high calorie, high fat, low nutritional quality of food and beverages, and sets nutrition standards for food served outside of the federal school meals program, sets minimum standards for minutes of physical activity per week during the school day aligned with CDC guidelines for physical activity for children, implements food procurement policies and practices that support farm to school partnerships, increases and promotes the availability of drinking water for students, implements school cafeteria reforms including addressing product placement, promotion and appeal of healthy options, pricing strategies, and signage prompts for healthy choices, and requires the implementation of a Health Impact Assessment in decision-making processes related to any proposed school closures or new settings, with a focus on potential impacts on opportunities to be physically active. The Centennial School District has over 6800 students that will be affected by this Wellness Policy change.
  • The Oregon Department of Transportation recently announced Transportation Enhancement funding for 14 new projects throughout Oregon. One of those awards went to the David Douglas School District to establish pedestrian access to Powellhurst-Gilbert schools. This project will build sidewalks and related traffic safety improvements in the area. In addition to providing service to the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood, these projects will help the roughly 2000 students attending Alice Ott, Gilbert Park and Gilbert Heights get to and from school more safely and conveniently.
Public Health Infrastructure Oregon Public Health Services $1,860,128 (FY10) $893,662 (FY11) ; Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board $100,000 (FY10) $250,000 (FY11) Awarded to state, tribal, local and territorial health departments to improve their ability to provide public health services. The 5-year cooperative agreement program will provide health departments with needed resources to make fundamental changes in their organizations and practices, so that they can improve the delivery of public health services including: Building and implementing capacity within health departments for evaluating the effectiveness of their organizations, practices, partnerships, programs and use of resources through performance management; Expansion and training of public health staff and community leaders to conduct policy activities in key areas and to facilitate improvements in system efficiency; Maximizing the public health system to improve networking, coordination, and cross-jurisdictional cooperation for the delivery of public health services to address resource sharing and improve health indicators; Disseminating, implementing and evaluating public health’s best and most promising practices; and Building a national network of performance improvement managers that share best practices for improving the public health system.
Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases 212,318 (FY10); $414,936 (FY11) The funding, which is provided through Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (ELC) and the Emerging Infections Program (EIP) cooperative agreements, is intended to increase epidemiology, laboratory and health information systems capacity at health departments. The award is to support: hiring and training of epidemiologists, laboratory scientists, and health information specialists who can work on multiple infectious diseases; increasing the number of modern, well-equipped public health laboratories using electronic laboratory information systems to manage and exchange information effectively between labs and public health departments; and developing capacity for public health departments to participate in meaningful use of electronic health records, e.g. through implementation of electronic laboratory-based reporting according to national standards.
ARRA evaluation (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System) N/A Grants awarded intended to help states “create additional tobacco quitters,” as well as increase data collection efforts for tracking flu-like illnesses to support ongoing pandemic influenza preparedness activities.
HIV Laboratory 82180 CDC awarded grants to expand HIV prevention efforts under the President’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS).  The funding, allocated to CDC by the President as part of NHAS, will help to further focus HIV prevention on high risk populations and communities, as well as fill critical gaps in data, knowledge and understanding of the epidemic. The majority of the grants will support demonstration projects to identify and implement a “combination approach” to enhance effective HIV prevention programming in 12 hard-hit areas across the country.  These efforts will determine what mix of HIV prevention approaches can have the greatest impact in the local area, supplementing existing programs in these communities and helping jurisdictions to better focus efforts on key at-risk populations and fulfill unmet needs. Grants went to state and local health departments to increase HIV testing opportunities for populations disproportionately affected by HIV and help link HIV-infected persons with appropriate services, as well as to improve the reporting of HIV data.
HIV Testing N/A CDC awarded grants to expand HIV prevention efforts under the President’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS).  The funding, allocated to CDC by the President as part of NHAS, will help to further focus HIV prevention on high risk populations and communities, as well as fill critical gaps in data, knowledge and understanding of the epidemic. The majority of the grants will support demonstration projects to identify and implement a “combination approach” to enhance effective HIV prevention programming in 12 hard-hit areas across the country.  These efforts will determine what mix of HIV prevention approaches can have the greatest impact in the local area, supplementing existing programs in these communities and helping jurisdictions to better focus efforts on key at-risk populations and fulfill unmet needs. Grants went to state and local health departments to increase HIV testing opportunities for populations disproportionately affected by HIV and help link HIV-infected persons with appropriate services, as well as to improve the reporting of HIV data.
HIV Planning $0 CDC awarded grants to expand HIV prevention efforts under the President’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS).  The funding, allocated to CDC by the President as part of NHAS, will help to further focus HIV prevention on high risk populations and communities, as well as fill critical gaps in data, knowledge and understanding of the epidemic. The majority of the grants will support demonstration projects to identify and implement a “combination approach” to enhance effective HIV prevention programming in 12 hard-hit areas across the country.  These efforts will determine what mix of HIV prevention approaches can have the greatest impact in the local area, supplementing existing programs in these communities and helping jurisdictions to better focus efforts on key at-risk populations and fulfill unmet needs. Grants went to state and local health departments to increase HIV testing opportunities for populations disproportionately affected by HIV and help link HIV-infected persons with appropriate services, as well as to improve the reporting of HIV data.
Emerging Infections Program Oregon State Public Health Division $255,704 (FY10); $268,693 (FY11) The funding, which is provided through Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (ELC) and the Emerging Infections Program (EIP) cooperative agreements, is intended to increase epidemiology, laboratory and health information systems capacity at health departments. The award is to support: hiring and training of epidemiologists, laboratory scientists, and health information specialists who can work on multiple infectious diseases; increasing the number of modern, well-equipped public health laboratories using electronic laboratory information systems to manage and exchange information effectively between labs and public health departments; and developing capacity for public health departments to participate in meaningful use of electronic health records, e.g. through implementation of electronic laboratory-based reporting according to national standards.
Capacity Building Grants N/A Money awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will go to various national, non-profit professional public health organizations to support efforts by state, tribal, local and territorial health departments to ensure successful adoption of effective practices that strengthen core public health infrastructure investments. These national public health organizations will provide technical assistance, training, and information for health departments to improve their public health infrastructure and the delivery of public health services.
Tobacco Prevention 69,683 (FY10); CDC Tobacco Quitlines $98,711 (FY11) State Supplemental Funding for Healthy Communities will be used to help states implement plans to reduce tobacco use through legislative, regulatory, and educational arenas, as well as enhance and expand the national network of tobacco cessation quitlines to significantly increase the number of tobacco users who quit. Money will also support states and terrritories enhance and expand the national network of tobacco cessation quitlines to increase the number of tobacco users who quit. Quitlines are hte toll-free numbers people can call to obtain smoking cessation treatments and services.
Health Care Surveillance $0 Grants to fund data collection and analysis to monitor the impact of the Affordable Care Act on the health of Americans and boost the collection and analysis of environmental hazards data to protect the health of communities.
Workforce N/A The programs are designed to build the primary care workforce and provide community-based prevention. States will receive funding to support comprehensive workforce planning and implementation strategies that best address local current and projected workforce shortages.
Training Centers—HRSA $0 The Public Health Training Centers Program helps improve the public health system by enhancing skills of the current and future public health workforce. Funded organizations (1) plan, develop, operate and evaluate projects that support goals established by the Secretary in preventive medicine, health promotion and disease prevention; or (2) improve access to and quality of health services in medically underserved communities. Other PHTC activities include assessing the learning needs of the public health workforce; providing accessible training; and working with organizations to meet strategic planning, education, and resource needs.
Primary care and Behavioral Health Services Native American Rehabilitation Association $500,000 (FY10); $1,440,000 (FY11) The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at HHS awarded grants to support and promote better primary care and behavioral health services for individuals with mental illnesses or substance use disorders. The grants seek to improve health by improving the coordination of healthcare services delivered in publicly funded community mental health and other community-based behavioral health settings.

*One-Time Funding from FY2010


Trust for America’s Health is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority. www.healthyamericans.org

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 35 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. Helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need–the Foundation expects to make a difference in our lifetime. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.