Governor Jim Douglas announced that Vermont, in partnership with Maine, has been awarded a five year, $11 million federal grant to help establish a national quality system for children s health care through Medicaid and Children s Health Insurance Program. This grant will be used to help states implement and evaluate provider performance measures, health information technologies such as pediatric electronic health records, and other quality improvement initiatives.
This is another important step forward for Vermont s health care reform efforts, said Governor Douglas. Improving the health and well-being of our children will save Vermonters money in the long run and, more importantly, keep our state the healthiest in the nation.
Federal Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the grant awards, which are funded by the Children s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009, on Monday, February 22. Vermont was one of 18 states to win the award.
We all have a stake in the health of our nation s children, said Secretary Sebelius. Exploring new technologies and initiatives will help ensure our kids get the high quality care they need and deserve.
Vermont and Maine submitted a joint application, with Maine as the lead State. Funding will allow both states to build upon existing strengths to improve health outcomes for the children served by the Medicaid programs and inform best practices for the nation.
Vermont will use the grant to expand upon the nationally-recognized Blueprint for Health, which enlists multiple public and private stakeholders, including state government, health care payers, and physicians to improve health care delivery and outcomes. Key to rolling out the Pediatric Blueprint will be adapting the current Health Information Technology infrastructure and developing comprehensive web-based reporting and evaluation tools for use in improving quality of care to the children served by the Medicaid Program. The Office of Vermont Health Access will partner with the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program at the University of Vermont College of Medicine.
These grants will test the most current theories of how to improve the quality of care delivered to children, said Cindy Mann, director of the Center for Medicaid and State Operations within CMS. These awards will help create the foundation for a more responsive and effective national system of high quality health care for children.
Source: Governor's office. 2.24.2010
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Vermont and Maine win $11 million federal grant for children's health care
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on