Foundation grants aim to improve health care, health of region

Times-Tribune (Scranton, PA)

Jul. 7--Grants from the Moses Taylor Foundation will improve medical care for the elderly, train future nurses and increase wages of employees who care for people with intellectual, physical and developmental disabilities.

The foundation awarded more than $1.7 million in third- and fourth-quarter grants to 21 organizations to help promote health and health care throughout Northeast Pennsylvania.

"We continue to have many strong opportunities to work with our partners in determining solutions to some of the communities' most pressing health challenges," LaTida Smith, Moses Taylor Foundation president and CEO, said in a news release.

A $500,000 grant will support a wage increase for direct-service professionals -- those who provide daily care and companionship -- to the residents of St. Joseph's Center. Increasing the starting rate to $15 per hour provides a living wage to employees, which the center hopes improves quality and continuity of care for residents by reducing employee turnover.

"It's a sizable investment in the work at St. Joseph's Center," said Sister Maryalice Jacquinot, I.H.M., the center's president and CEO. "It really has the potential to have great impact for us."

Other grants include:

$500,000 to Lackawanna College to outfit a simulation skills lab to be used by students in the new associate degree in nursing program. Equipment includes adult and child simulators and a birthing simulator.

$176,524 to the Wright Center to launch a geriatric service line. A small coordinated primary care team made up of a physician, a certified nurse practitioner and a medical assistant will visit patients who live in Lackawanna County. A physician performs the initial visit and is on call 24 hours a day, while a nurse practitioner handles ongoing routine health care visits in the home. A social worker is available to conduct assessments of the patient's living environment and provide case management and social referral services.

$88,000 to the University of Scranton for the purchase of updated nursing simulation laboratory equipment, which will also be used for interprofessional education by Geisinger Community Medical Center nurse residents and Marywood University and Misericordia University social work students.

$78,173 to Luzerne County Head Start to support continuing professional development through the Teacher-Child Interaction Training-University (TCIT-U) program, a model that focuses on strengthening teacher-child relationship skills and increasing teachers' confidence in their ability to manage challenging behaviors in the classroom.

$65,000 to the Children's Advocacy Center of Northeastern Pennsylvania to expand programs, specifically for individuals who have experienced significant traumatic events, focusing on decreasing post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, depression, anxiety and shame, while improving trauma processing, relationships and social skills.

$50,000 to Pocono Services for Families and Children to support the hiring of a master-level infant/toddler mental health specialist for Early Head Start classrooms.

$50,000 to the Institute for Public Policy & Economic Development to support year two of a three-year pilot in an effort to inform and educate grant makers, grantees, nonprofits, elected officials and other stakeholders; and $18,650 to create materials to inform and educate nonprofit organizations in an effort to increase regional census participation.

$42,639 to the Greater Pittston YMCA to support a strategic plan.

$42,120 to the United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania to partner with a consulting agency for guidance as Pennsylvania continues the transition to managed care for health, behavioral and waiver services.

$21,250 to the Voluntary Action Center of Northeast Pennsylvania for a consultant to evaluate the organization's operations while helping to support a change in leadership.

$20,000 to United Cerebral Palsy of Northeastern PA to support a unique learning and resource center for children with special needs and their families, along with increased access to technology.

$20,000 to the Victims Resource Center to support office and program relocation.

$20,000 to Mom-n-PA to support a large-scale pop-up dental clinic where dental treatment was provided at no cost to individuals.

$20,000 to Goodwill Industries of Northeastern Pennsylvania to provide weekly classes to students in the Scranton School District who are identified as having mental health challenges or who self-identify as a person with mental health challenges.

$19,300 to the Greater Carbondale YMCA for the purchase of updated kitchen equipment.

$10,000 to Wilkes University to support a one-day conference about pain and substance use issues in Pennsylvania, especially within Luzerne and Lackawanna counties.

$9,000 to Northeast Sight Services to support the development of a program service plan.

$5,250 to the Jewish Community Center of Scranton to begin a memory café program, where individuals with Alzheimer's, dementia or mild cognitive impairment, and their caregivers, can socialize, engage in activities, exchange information and provide support to those in similar situations.

$4,500 to the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute to evaluate the efficiency and awareness of the Community Based Cancer Screening Navigation Program.

$2,500 to the Wilkes-Barre Area School District to support "The Wolfpack Spring Fling into Wellness."

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