In Brief: Kaiser Grants Another $6.2 Million For HEAL Initiatives

Kaiser Permanente's Southern California division has invested an additional $6.2 million in its Healthy Eating Active Living initiative.

The money will be used to continue funding initiatives in Anaheim, Long Beach, Ontario and in Riverside and San Diego counties. Riverside Community Health Foundation and Community Health Improvement Partners in San Diego County. The initiatives focus on high areas of obesity and help provide healthier food options, reduce the community's consumption of high calorie foods, such as sweetened beverages, and provide more opportunities for physical activity.

The funding will extend the HEAL initiatives in the communities for three years. Kaiser said the additional funding was necessary to try and arrest rising rates of obesity in California.

HEAL was established in 2004. Kaiser last made grants in Southern California in 2012, when it allotted $7 million.

“I’m inspired by the consistent level of advocacy that our HEAL Zone community partners have demonstrated to influence public safety, food, physical activity in Lemon Grove,” said Dana Richardson, a Kaiser vice president for community health and engagement in San Diego County. “They’ve learned to use their voice, and that is something that carries over … as they continue on their quest to make and keep their communities healthy.”

Along with the $6.2 million grant, Community Partners in Los Angeles will receive $1.2 million to provide peer learning and technical assistance to all the HEAL sites.