Washington Health Foundation Receives $200,000 Grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Support kids.health.2001. Campaign

SEATTLE -- The Washington Health Foundation's kids.health.2001. campaign to provide health insurance for every eligible child and teenager in King County is moving closer to reaching its goal with the help of a $200,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

With the matching funds available from Medicaid, the value of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant doubles to $400,000.

Based on the concept that all children deserve health care, kids.health.2001. is raising public awareness and using a variety of outreach strategies to enroll thousands of Seattle/King County children and youth in health insurance programs.

"It takes time. It takes money. It requires a one-on-one effort," said Greg Vigdor, president of the Washington Health Foundation. "But surveys and cost analysis show that a child who has health insurance is a good investment. Healthier children require less medical attention, a savings for all concerned, and they tend to lead more productive lives."

"With the help of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation," Vigdor continued, "we can maintain and even expand our efforts to reach these kids."

Begun in July 1998, the kids.health.2001. campaign has helped more than 9,200 children and youth enroll in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). In spite of this success, however, thousands of King County children and teenagers remain uninsured.

Current campaign strategies include an information and enrollment hotline (1-800-756-KIDS); systematic outreach through public schools; multilingual and multicultural outreach in ethnic communities; face-to-face contact between health professionals and families; communication via mailings, bill stuffers, posters, flyers and information kits; paid advertising through community newspapers, radio and TV; and partnerships with businesses and community-based organizations.

The kids.health.2001. campaign involves a broad partnership, including area hospitals and health care systems (Children's, Harborview, Swedish, Group Health Cooperative and the University of Washington), as well as Delta Dental/Washington Dental Services, the city of Seattle and fifteen health-related and community-based organizations.

"Access to health insurance means access to basic health care, something no child should be denied," said Jaime Garcia, Senior Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "We are proud to partner with Washington Health Foundation for the kids.health.2001. program."

The Washington Health Foundation, which administers kids.health.2001., is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing health access, improving health care quality, and building healthier communities for the people of Washington.

For more information on kids.health.2001., call Randy Revelle, campaign director, at (206) 216-2515.