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The federal government has granted states and territories $119 million to reduce tobacco use, increase physical activity, and fight obesity, the Health and Human Services department announced.
The grants are funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the stimulus package.
The money will go to programs aimed at prevention and wellness and for intervening before people get sick, said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius during a press conference.
“Prevention is a 'best buy' for health,” Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during the press conference. His agency will help states implement the grants.
The awards were made in three major categories: policy and environmental changes; innovative programs; and tobacco cessation/telephone-based “quit-lines”.
All 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, will receive funding to expand quit-lines. Dr. Frieden called the lines “highly cost effective.” He noted that tobacco-related disease is the number one cause of preventable death, and that two-thirds of smokers want to quit, but haven't found the right motivation or program.
Innovative programs in 13 states will be receiving money for 15 projects. Among those: Mississippi will receive $3 million to fund a statewide smoke-free air policy and Rhode Island will receive $3 million to fund a program to help elderly residents age at home. These programs will likely serve as models for other states, said Ms. Sebelius.
Other awards will go to help schools and communities support healthy food choices, to help support physical activity, and to promote breast-feeding, said Dr. Frieden.
More information about the awards are available at www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/recovery/
The federal government has granted states and territories $119 million to reduce tobacco use, increase physical activity, and fight obesity, the Health and Human Services department announced.
The grants are funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the stimulus package.
The money will go to programs aimed at prevention and wellness and for intervening before people get sick, said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius during a press conference.
“Prevention is a 'best buy' for health,” Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during the press conference. His agency will help states implement the grants.
The awards were made in three major categories: policy and environmental changes; innovative programs; and tobacco cessation/telephone-based “quit-lines”.
All 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, will receive funding to expand quit-lines. Dr. Frieden called the lines “highly cost effective.” He noted that tobacco-related disease is the number one cause of preventable death, and that two-thirds of smokers want to quit, but haven't found the right motivation or program.
Innovative programs in 13 states will be receiving money for 15 projects. Among those: Mississippi will receive $3 million to fund a statewide smoke-free air policy and Rhode Island will receive $3 million to fund a program to help elderly residents age at home. These programs will likely serve as models for other states, said Ms. Sebelius.
Other awards will go to help schools and communities support healthy food choices, to help support physical activity, and to promote breast-feeding, said Dr. Frieden.
More information about the awards are available at www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/recovery/
The federal government has granted states and territories $119 million to reduce tobacco use, increase physical activity, and fight obesity, the Health and Human Services department announced.
The grants are funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the stimulus package.
The money will go to programs aimed at prevention and wellness and for intervening before people get sick, said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius during a press conference.
“Prevention is a 'best buy' for health,” Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during the press conference. His agency will help states implement the grants.
The awards were made in three major categories: policy and environmental changes; innovative programs; and tobacco cessation/telephone-based “quit-lines”.
All 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, will receive funding to expand quit-lines. Dr. Frieden called the lines “highly cost effective.” He noted that tobacco-related disease is the number one cause of preventable death, and that two-thirds of smokers want to quit, but haven't found the right motivation or program.
Innovative programs in 13 states will be receiving money for 15 projects. Among those: Mississippi will receive $3 million to fund a statewide smoke-free air policy and Rhode Island will receive $3 million to fund a program to help elderly residents age at home. These programs will likely serve as models for other states, said Ms. Sebelius.
Other awards will go to help schools and communities support healthy food choices, to help support physical activity, and to promote breast-feeding, said Dr. Frieden.
More information about the awards are available at www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/recovery/