PCI Awarded $100,000 Grant from UnitedHealth Group to Help Fund Preventive Health Care Programs
Friday, October 9, 2009

Funding to provide preventive care for San Diego's vulnerable Hispanic populations

PCI today announced it has received a $100,000 grant from UnitedHealth Group. The grant will help fund PCI’s Ventanilla de Salud (Window of Health) program - a unique collaboration between PCI and the Mexican Consulate of San Diego - focused on preventive health care programs aimed at San Diego’s underserved Hispanic populations.

Each year, Ventanilla de Salud reaches thousands of Hispanics who visit the Mexican Consulate of San Diego. Although diverse, this population qualifies as “vulnerable” due primarily to a collective lack of access to health care and comparatively poor health indicators throughout the population. By leveraging the Mexican Consulate’s reputation as a trustworthy source of information, PCI’s Ventanilla de Salud cost-effectively brings health information and referrals to this vulnerable population in order to improve their access to preventive health care, including issues related to substance abuse, mental health and domestic violence.

Over a two-year period, funds from this grant will enable Ventanilla de Salud to reach an additional 40,000 Consulate visitors with critical health messages and information about health services, and provide health needs assessments, health care referrals and personalized follow-up for another 4,000 individuals.  Funds will also be utilized to establish and strengthen partnerships with 20 community-based and health insurance agencies in order to expand and improve the quality of preventive health resources accessible through Ventanilla de Salud.

“PCI’s Ventanilla de Salud has been recognized as a model program and is currently being replicated by the Mexican government in 36 other consulates in 46 states throughout the U.S.,” said Dr. Miriam Hiel, Project Coordinator for Ventanilla de Salud. “The partnership with UnitedHealth Group will enable PCI to have a positive effect on the health status of vulnerable populations not only locally, but on a national level as well.”

“We applaud Project Concern International for their unwavering commitment to providing San Diego’s underserved, Hispanic population with preventive health care and we are pleased to collaborate with them on such a vital initiative,” noted Steve Nelson, CEO, Western Region of UnitedHealthcare.  “Now, more than ever, preventive health care measures are critical to improving health care quality.”