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Katie Smith, Chief Development and Marketing Officer
katie@rmhslc.org | Office: 801-363-4663 | Cell: 801-910-1986
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Awarded $1.25M by Cambia Health Foundation
to Improve Care for Seriously Ill Children and their Families
Charitable funds endow a permanent position that will deliver onsite skilled mental health and grief support for pediatric patient families
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Ronald McDonald House Charities Intermountain Area has been awarded a $1,250,000 grant from Cambia Health Foundation to endow a permanent Family Support Services position. The Intermountain Area has become a regional HUB for life-saving pediatric care. This transformational charitable gift will create meaningful and lasting support and resources for pediatric patients and their families throughout the region, including:
- Family-centered crisis intervention and mental health support for pediatric patient families from the intermountain area, who are scared, grieving, or distressed and may have limited resources.
- Collaborative case management to help address social determinants of health with robust referral resources both locally and throughout the surrounding states. In addition, the program will assist families’ transition home and connect them to community resources for job placement, food security, school, diagnosis- specific support groups and diagnosis-specific financial resources.
- Grief and bereavement support through each child’s diagnosis, medical journey and palliative care.
RMHC’s vision is to highlight the value and impact of this innovative model for supporting families with hospitalized children to replicate across the country.
This visionary philanthropic gift was formally announced on Philanthropy Day – November 15th at 7pm at the #ShineYourLight Holiday Lighting Ceremony in the Park that Love Built for Ronald McDonald House by OC Tanner.
“We are filled with gratitude and inspiration for this visionary gift from the Cambia Health Foundation, following the incredible pilot program in 2020,” said Carrie Romano, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Intermountain Area. “This position will offer newborn and pediatric patient families from rural and underserved areas, with the support they need, now more than ever. Families that must travel from rural areas to access lifesaving care for their children, are often facing complex challenges with very limited resources. These challenges continue to be exacerbated as we navigate this global pandemic. We have seen first-hand that this position, secured by this incredibly generous gift by Cambia Health Foundation, will offer lasting and meaningful positive impacts for patient families and our health care systems.”
“Our pilot exploring the impact of a Family Support Services program was immensely successful. We’re excited to support its continuation in perpetuity through an endowment intended to ensure that behavioral health care and resources are always available for seriously ill or injured children and their families, both in Utah and the broader communities served by RMHC,” said Peggy Maguire, president of the Cambia Health Foundation. “Improving access to this type of care is critical to Cambia Health Foundation’s commitment to advance whole person health, and in alignment with RMHC’s family-centered approach to empowering and assisting families when children are hospitalized.”
“I’m actively involved in RMHC as an executive committee board member, and I’ve seen how much the pilot program has helped multiple children and their loved ones over the past year,” said Jim Swayze, president of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah. “This generous donation creates a lasting legacy through which we can continue helping families during a most vulnerable time as they cope with the incredible challenge of having a child go through significant medical treatment. Cambia Health Foundation is funded in part by Regence, and we are thrilled that its grant ensures skilled mental health care and knowledgeable support at RMHC.”
RMHC’s Family Support Services are currently managed by a seasoned professional with decades of experience in pediatric health care, Maria Gamvroulas, LCSW. She works directly with the pediatric patient families served by RMHC and will continue to grow and expand the impact that this role offers to all who find a home-away-from-home at Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Intermountain Area.
ABOUT RONALD McDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES (RMHC) – INTERMOUNTAIN AREA
The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities is to surround families with the support they need to be near and care for their seriously ill or injured children. RMHC provides a home-away-from-home to ease daily burdens and empower families of hospitalized children with meaningful experiences and quality time together. To learn more, visit our website at www.rmhcslc.org.
ABOUT CAMBIA HEALTH FOUNDATION
Cambia Health Foundation is the corporate foundation of Cambia Health Solutions. Founded in 2007, the Foundation has funded over $80 million in grants to advance person-focused and economically sustainable healthcare. We support whole person health at every stage of life to build a just and inclusive health care system for all. Learn more at www.cambiahealthfoundation.org and follow us on Twitter @CambiaHealthFdn.