April 3, 2002 – More than $1.3 million in federal funds are coming to the Virgin Islands to increase access to health care and to help keep beachgoers healthy along the islands' shores.
The Environmental Protection Agency is providing $308,488 under the Coastal Recreation Water Monitoring and Public Notification initiative. The funding is to allow for timely testing of the water quality around area beaches and to post the proper warning signs if contamination levels make the beaches unsafe for bathing.
The national coastal waters project is designed to help states and territories protect their recreational boating and swimming areas.
Meanwhile the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be awarding $582,327 to Frederiksted Health Care Inc., which operates the Frederiksted clinic on St. Croix, and $513,747 to the St. Thomas East End Medical Corp., which operates the East End Clinic on St. Thomas. The funding is for testing and prevention programs to residents that use clinics as their primary health care providers.
Both clinics hold popular community health fairs, offering multiple screening tests for chronic ailments such as high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as inoculations for children.
The grant awards were announced by Delegate Donna Christian Christensen, who also circulated an invitation from the U.S. Justice Department to the nation's institutions of higher education to apply for Fiscal Year 2002 funding for programs to reduce violent crimes against women on campuses. April 16 is the deadline to apply; information is available by calling (202) 514-6121.
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