SIGN THE PETITION TODAY! SUPPORT HEALTH CARE IN MILWAUKEE

BLACK HEALTH COALITION SUPPORT 
Children and Families of Milwaukee need the continued assistance of the Black Health Coalition.

They are being denied a $700 thousand dollar grant that helps improve the condition of African American infant mortality rate.

Black Health Coalition has been around and long-working on issues of great and chronic concern for Milwaukeeans, especially African American.

Due to chronic social issues attributed to Enduring Concentrated Poverty in the city of Milwaukee, African Americans are the largest People of Color group in Milwaukee with the highest need for chronic health care concerns and in need of hands-on customer care. They/We need your support.

Sign the Petition below.
======================

• Petitioning President Barack Obama 

Hold HRSA accountable for its admitted mistakes and order them to provide full funding to the 25 agencies across the country that were approved but not funded to fight infant mortality disparities.

1.  
   2. Petition by
      Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin, Inc.

• 
  
• The Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin, a grant recipient since 1998, has operated its Milwaukee Healthy Beginnings Project  (MHBP) to improve maternal and infant health in the City of Milwaukee, providing services to almost 700 Wisconsinites a year. Milwaukee has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country, and the Black infant mortality rate is almost three times higher than the White rate. Discontinuation of this funding is a significant obstacle in protecting the health of the most vulnerable Wisconsin families. MHBP provides comprehensive culturally respectful case management to clients that include those who are; homeless, involved in domestic violence, incarcerated, have open bureau of child welfare cases, etc. MHBP has a proven track record, as evidence by independent evaluations, of success.

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) issued two Healthy Start Initiative (HSI) Funding Opportunities Announcements (FOA); Round 1 in December 2013 and Round 2 in February 2014. Healthy Start Initiatives funds agencies that have racial disparities in infant mortality rates and poor birth outcomes. Some of these agencies represent communities that have infant mortality rates that are comparable to third world countries.

• HRSA released Round 2 because they did not receive enough applicants for Round 1; but the Round 2 guidance clearly stated that Round 1 applicants would be reviewed and funded before Round 2 decisions were made. This is documented in a February 20, 2014 webinar. This was a competitive process that was open to current HSI grantees as well as possible new grantees.

• Instead of following its own guidelines, the Healthy Start administration decided to combine both pools of applicants. As a result, 25 of the Round 1 applicants were not funded. HRSA has admitted that they made errors in the grant award process, but they say they do not have enough money to fully fund the 25 urban and rurul agencies around the country that have been harmed by their mistakes.

• This injustice needs to be rectified and the 25 affected communities need to be fully funded ASAP!

CLICK BLACK HEALTH COALITION

http://www.change.org/p/president-barack-obama-hold-hrsa-accountable-for-its-admitted-mistakes-and-order-them-to-provide-full-funding-to-the-25-agencies-across-the-country-that-were-approved-but-not-funded-to-fight-infant-mortality-disparities?