HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) today announced six grants totaling more than $1.7 million to health care institutions in four Rocky Mountain states to aid individuals exposed to and potentially affected by contact with uranium and the testing of nuclear weapons.
 
“During the Cold War, thousands of Americans were exposed to high levels of radiation as a result of the mining, transport and processing of uranium and nuclear weapons testing,” said HRSA Administrator Elizabeth M. Duke.   “These grants help ensure that affected individuals have access to the health care they need.”
 
Besides providing screening for cancer and other diseases caused by radiation and providing referrals for medical treatment, funds also help grantees develop education and outreach programs about diseases caused by radiation and document Radiation Exposure Compensation Program claims.
 
The awards mark the second year of funding under the Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program, which was created by the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Amendments of 2000.   HRSA manages the program through its Bureau of Primary Health Care.
 
For more information on the Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program, visit http://bphc.hrsa.gov/resep/ on the web. The list of today’s grantees follows:
 

FY 2003 Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program Awards
Organization	City	State	Award
Mountain Park Health Center	Phoenix	Ariz.	$306,000
St. Mary’s Hospital and Medical Center	Grand Junction	Colo.	313,000
University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center	Albuquerque	N.M.	210,000
Northern Navajo Medical Center	Shiprock	N.M.	375,000
Utah Navajo Health System, Inc.	Montezuma Creek	Utah	210,000
Intermountain Health Services	St. George	Utah	313,000
Total:			$1,727,000