HHS offers grants to chronic disease management programs

WASHINGTON The Department of Health and Human Services is offering $27 million in grants to chronic disease management programs that seek to aid older Americans.

The Communities Putting Prevention to Work Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, will allow 45 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia to provide self-management programs to older adults with chronic diseases build statewide delivery systems and develop the workforce that delivers these programs.

“Prevention activities can strengthen the nation’s healthcare infrastructure and reduce healthcare costs,” said said HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “These new grants will provide an important opportunity for states, tribes, territories and communities to advance public health across the lifespan and to help reduce or eliminate health disparities.”

Chronic diseases include such conditions as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.