Josiah Hill III Clinic receives Northwest Health Foundation funds to address childhood asthma

(Portland, OR) -December 20, 2006- The Josiah Hill III Clinic received $82,050 from the Northwest Health Foundation as part of the foundation's community based participatory research initiative. The grant will support Josiah Hill III Clinic's 'Healthy Futures Collaborative' which will address environmental triggers associated with asthma. Community based participatory research is an approach to research that deliberately includes the affected community in all aspects of the research process. "We are very honored to have this opportunity to engage others through a process of co-learning and empowerment", said Erin McNally, Executive Director of the Josiah Hill III Clinic.

A goal of the 'Healthy Futures Collaborative' is to reduce exposure to environmental stressors and triggers that exacerbate asthma. Triggers and stressors which can make asthma worse include: exposure to secondhand smoke, chemical vapors, mold, dust mites, outdoor air pollution, and residential vicinity to highways. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), though many cases of asthma probably go undiagnosed, health officials estimate that at least 20 million people in the U.S. have asthma, including 6.3 million children. Nearly 1 in 13 school-aged children has asthma, and the rate is rising more rapidly in preschool aged children than in any other age group.

The prevalence of current asthma in Oregon continues to rise and is considerably higher than the U.S. average.

The Healthy Futures Collaborative is a three year project, beginning in 2007. Josiah Hill III Clinic will provide initial household assessments to seventy-five Northeast Portland residents; targeting Latino and Somali families that live in the Cully neighborhood. After the assessment is complete household interventions will occur in the following six month period. Through the neighborhood level intervention, providers and service agencies can strengthen their understanding of the community's concerns and provide culturally appropriate education and health services. Further, a neighborhood level intervention can increase civic participation and social capital. “There are so many ways we can make changes which will improve our environment and subsequently benefit the health of our children and community.' said McNally.

The Northwest Health Foundation's grant process was extremely competitive; applicants were reviewed by a national panel of experts. Josiah Hill III Clinic's grant is one of three to implement community-based participatory research projects throughout Oregon. "I believe the support we received from community partners really helped strengthen our proposal" said McNally. Key partners in the Healthy Futures Collaborative include Portland State University, Hacienda CDC, Lutheran Family Services, Multnomah County Health Department, OPAL, and NE community residents.

About the Josiah Hill III Clinic
Josiah Hill III Clinic was founded by the late community activist and physicians assistant, Josiah Hill III. The Josiah Hill III Clinic provides education, testing, and resources to families and communities at-risk for environmental health hazards. Josiah Hill III Clinic is mobile, and thus provides environmental health services directly within the communities it serves. Josiah Hill III Clinic has provided services to over 3,000 community members. The majority of clients live in underserved communities in the Portland metro area. The Clinic targets its services to pregnant women and children, as they are most susceptible to absorbing environmental toxins and living with the detrimental effects. In order to reflect the diversity of the neighborhoods in which the Clinic operates, Josiah Hill III Clinic draws from a strong pool of diverse volunteers to provide services. Josiah Hill III Clinic is part of the Multnomah County Healthy Homes partnership group, Lead Safe Families Coalition, Somali Social Service Team workgroup, the Oregon Asthma Network, and the Executive Director's Network.

About the Northwest Health Foundation (NWHF)
Founded in 1997, NWHF is an independent, charitable foundation committed to advancing, supporting, and promoting the health of the people of Oregon and southwest Washington. The Foundation achieves its mission primarily through grantmaking and support for advocacy efforts that influence public policy. NWHF also administers donor-advised funds for agencies and individual philanthropists throughout the Pacific Northwest. For more information, visit: www.nwhf.org