WOONSOCKET, R.I., Sept. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today announced a series of community investments to improve the health and wellness of local communities in Ohio. More than $150,000 in new grants will help support Ohio nonprofits helping to mitigate prescription drug abuse and expand access to quality, convenient and affordable care across the state.

“We are committed to making meaningful investments in the communities we serve to support our colleagues and customers,” said Eileen Howard Boone, senior vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy, CVS Health. “The organizations we are partnering with are helping us deliver on our purpose of helping people on their path to better health and are truly dedicated to helping those who need it the most.”

The new grants, which focus on critical health care needs and target underserved populations in Ohio, include:

• Neighborhood Family Practice in Cleveland has received a $50,000 grant to support the training and implementation of motivational interviewing for primary care providers, nurses and behavioral health clinicians to use as a coaching method for patients dealing with substance abuse. The new support will be used to conduct motivational interviewing training and to ensure appropriate use of this method across the health center.
• A $50,000 grant will be used by Rocking Horse Children’s Health Center in Springfield to develop the SAFE (Substance Abuse and Family Education) program, which will identify and provide support and psych education to individuals, children and families at the community health center and the surrounding areas who are impacted by the opioid crisis and other drug related issues.
• CVS Health will be providing a total of $50,000 to four clinics that are part of the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics to support the clinics’ ability to have medication available to their patients in medically underserved areas of the community. The clinics are Viola Startzman Clinic in Wooster, Open M Medical Clinic in Akron, St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacyin Cincinnati and Beacon Charitable Pharmacy in Canton.

“This effort, along with others, is a priority locally and in the state legislature,” said State Senator Bob Hackett. “We must continue to work hard to combat the opioid crisis facing our state and provide resources in our communities that will help people on the road to recovery get their lives back.”

In addition, CVS Health is supporting the Well Being Collaborative of Northeast Ohio’s annual Wellness Conference, where CVS pharmacists will talk about the importance of safe medication disposal and the dangers of prescription drug abuse. Participation in the conference is part of CVS Health’s Pharmacist Teach program, which brings pharmacists to local schools and community events to help educate teens and parents on the growing epidemic. More than 300,000 teens nationally including nearly 14,000 in Ohio have already participated in the program.

The new grants and community activities from CVS Health are the latest in the company’s longstanding support in Ohio. Through its employee volunteer program, CVS Health colleagues logged more than 3,000 volunteer hours last year in Ohio in support of local community causes throughout the state. Additionally, over the past three years, CVS Health has contributed more than $600,000 to local community organizations in Ohio through the CVS Health Foundation, corporate grants, sponsorships and product donations, lending its support to programs that improve access to health care; provide chronic disease management; promote smoking cessation and youth tobacco prevention; and help combat prescription drug abuse. Examples of this continued support include:

• Expanding access to affordable, quality care. CVS Health has made a multi-million dollar commitment to the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC) and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). Many clinics in Ohio have received support through these partnerships, including, Helping Hands Health & Wellness Center (Columbus), St. Vincent DePaul Charitable Pharmacy (Cincinnati) and Ohio Association of Free Clinics (Columbus).
• Helping combat the opioid crisis. In April, CVS Health installed 28 new medication disposal units inside CVS Pharmacy locations across the state, in addition to 33 units that it has previously donated to local police departments. CVS Health has also worked to expand access to the opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone in 46 states, including Ohio.
• Delivering a tobacco-free generation. Through the company’s $50 millioncommitment to youth tobacco prevention, CVS Health is helping a number of Ohio-based colleges and universities advocate for, adopt and implement tobacco-free campus policies, including Cuyahoga Community College, Lorain County Community College, Terra State Community College, University of Cincinnati, University of Findlay, Wilberforce University, Bowling Green State University, and University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College.

“Our continued investments that help local programs and organizations expand delivery of care are helping make a meaningful impact on the lives of the people of Ohio and building healthier communities,” added Boone.

About CVS Health

CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its more than 9,800 retail locations, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 94 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, expanding specialty pharmacy services, and a leading stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, the company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.