Louisiana Chosen to Receive Second Grant from RWJF to Help Transform Health Care Through Nursing

Baton Rouge – The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) recently announced that the Louisiana Action Coalition (LAC) will receive a second two-year grant through the Future of Nursing State Implementation Program (SIP). The $7.65 million initiative is helping states prepare the nursing profession to address our nation's most pressing health care challenges—access, quality, and cost. Louisiana is one of 18 states receiving its second two-year grant of up to $150,000, and Arizona, Maine, and West Virginia are joining the program this month. RWJF's SIP now supports 33 state Action Coalitions.

SIP bolsters efforts already underway in 50 states and the District of Columbia—through the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action—to improve health and health care through nursing. A joint initiative of AARP and RWJF, the Campaign is working to implement the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) evidence-based recommendations on the future of nursing. It provides a vehicle for nurses at all levels to lead system change to improve care for all through collaboration with business, consumer, and other health professional organizations.

"These grants have proven a wise investment and we are confident that this additional support will lead to even more advances," said Susan B. Hassmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN, RWJF senior adviser for nursing and director of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action. "We are immensely proud of the work our Action Coalitions are doing to transform nursing education and practice, support nurse leadership, and diversify the nursing workforce. RWJF is committed to building a Culture of Health so that everyone in America can live a healthier life, supported by a system in which nurses are essential partners in providing care and promoting health."

In addition to Louisiana, the state Action Coalitions that will receive their second two-year grants of up to $150,000 are: Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. SIP grants go to state-based Action Coalitions that are making substantial progress toward implementing the IOM recommendations.

All SIP grantees must obtain matching funds and to date, states with SIP grants have raised more than $8.9 million beyond their RWJF funding. Louisiana's matching funders for this grant are: BlueCross BlueShield of Louisiana Foundation, Louisiana Health Works Commission, Great 100 Nurses Foundation, and Gifted Healthcare LLC. Matching funds for LAC's previous SIP grant were provided by The Rapides Foundation.

"LAC is proud to be continuing with this work and looks forward to doing even more to implement the IOM's future of nursing recommendations here in Louisiana," said Cynthia Bienemy, PhD, RN, LAC co-lead and Louisiana Center for Nursing director. "The work we are doing to transform nursing improves health care for everyone. We are grateful to RWJF for this support."

Barbara Morvant, MSN, RN, SIP project director and LAC core leadership team member, said LAC will focus on two main objectives over the next 24 months. "We need to help diversify the nursing workforce in Louisiana to better match our population," she said. "So we will be working with experts across the state to establish initiatives that will advance that goal. And further, the IOM calls upon nursing to lead change in health care delivery. There is a tremendous need to develop new nurse leaders to meet this challenge, so we will be working collaboratively to develop programs that prepare and support emerging nurse leaders to build healthier communities."

The Center to Champion Nursing in America (CCNA), an initiative of AARP, the AARP Foundation, and RWJF, serves as the national program office for the Future of Nursing State Implementation Program.

"We are so pleased to be able to add three new state Action Coalitions to this program, and provide continuing support to 18 others," said Susan Reinhard, PhD, RN, FAAN, senior vice president of the AARP Public Policy Institute and chief strategist at CCNA. "We expect this new funding will help realize our goal, to transform health care through nursing so we can improve health outcomes and wellbeing for individuals, families, and communities."