WASHINGTON ñSenator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that Iowa will receive grants of $900,000 to strengthen immunization programs and $92,758 to expand toll-free tobacco “quitlines,” which connect tobacco users with treatments and services to help them quit. The grants come from the United States Department of Health and Human Services through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. |WASHINGTON ñSenator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that Iowa will receive grants of $900,000 to strengthen immunization programs and $92,758 to expand toll-free tobacco “quitlines,” which connect tobacco users with treatments and services to help them quit. The grants come from the United States Department of Health and Human Services through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The grants are funded through the Prevention and Public Health fund, which Harkin created as author of the prevention and wellness provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Harkin is Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the Appropriations subcommittee that funds HHS. Harkin is a long-time champion of prevention and wellness programs.
“The best way to treat illness is to prevent it in the first place. We know that tobacco use puts people at risk of a host of chronic diseases, and immunizations are a cornerstone of public health and prevention,” Harkin said. “By ensuring that Iowans have access to resources to help them live healthier lifestyles, we can prevent more serious health problems down the road.”
