The ACT Government will provide more than $1.3 million over three years to fund community projects that will reduce risky health behaviours among Canberrans.
The grants support the goal of Healthy Canberra: ACT Preventive Health Plan 2020-2025, which seeks to improve the health of Canberrans through every stage of life.
The plan recognises the vital role of community groups and non-government organisations in providing targeted programs through their understanding of their clients’ specific needs.
Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said that although Canberrans enjoy one of the longest life expectancies in the world, there are many people in our community who live with preventable illness or disease.
“These grants will help to improve the health of Canberrans through a range of targeted programs associated with reducing the harmful use of alcohol, sexual health literacy and treatment for bloodborne viruses such as Hepatitis C,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.
“The expertise of community organisations and the existing relationships they have with their clients enables them to effectively reach more people who need support, education or treatment.
“Yesterday, on World Condom Day, I was pleased to join with Meridian and Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT to talk about all the great projects we are working on together to prevent, raise awareness of and treat sexual health conditions in the ACT.
“These and other successful community sector partners are well known and respected in delivering important campaigns to improve the health of our community and provide targeted support to sub-population groups where there is evident need.”
The following organisations will share in the Healthy Canberra Grants funding:
- Companion House will receive $103,921 for it’s Sharing and Learning program, which aims to prevent and reduce the harms associated with alcohol in the community.
- Forcibly Displaced People Network will receive $213,855 for it’s Safe and Healthyprogram, which aims to increase the sexual health literacy of LGBTIQ+ migrants and refugees.
- Hepatitis ACT will receive $457,418 to run Reach, Teach, Treat, Thrive, which aims to support people living with Hepatitis C to access and complete curative treatment in community-based settings by reducing barriers to care and increasing access to support.
- Meridian will receive $369,270 to run Community-driven campaigns, which aim to address gaps in sexual health information for key sub-population groups in the LGBTIQ+ population, and to educate health practitioners about the specific sexual health needs of these groups.
- Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT (SHFPACT) will receive $249,700 to run the Interface program, which aims to enhance youth engagement to inform sexual and bloodborne virus health promotion activities.
