Saint Thomas Medical Partners Saint Louise Family Medicine Center in Murfreesboro has received a one-year $50,234 grant from The Healing Trust to support the Bilingual Childbirth Educator/Lactation Consultant (BCE) program, which provides care, education, and support for pregnant women and new mothers. The center has experienced a 136 percent increase in the last 12 months in the numbers of women presenting for prenatal and OB care. More than 60 percent of those seeking OB/GYN care are Hispanic patients who often experience language, medical literacy and cultural barriers that can impede healthy outcomes.

Linda Myers, MD

Linda Myers, MD, of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) has received a grant totaling $1.67 million for research into autoimmune arthritis. Myers, a professor in the Department of Pediatrics in the UTHSC College of Medicine, and her research team are interested in targeting natural molecules to develop therapies for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis that are safer and have fewer side effects. "In this application, we present a method for suppressing autoimmune arthritis by upregulating and activating natural inhibitory receptors called leukocyte associated immunoglobulin-like receptors (LAIR)," said Myers. "We believe that activating LAIR-1 receptors may lead to reduced autoimmune activity and less-severe disease in patients with RA. We have further validated that vitamin D increases when these receptors are activated, successfully reducing autoimmune arthritis."

In an effort to help reverse the growing epidemics of diabetes and obesity, the Tennessee Department of Health has awarded another three-year grant to the United States Healthful Food Council's REAL Certified nutrition and sustainability best practices certification program. The continued $450,000 of funding over the next three years comes through the Department's "Project Diabetes," which has the goal of decreasing the incidence of diabetes by increasing access to healthy food options and physical activity in Tennessee. Responsible Epicurean and Agricultural Leadership (REAL) Certified is a growing national program that works with restaurants and foodservice operators to promote healthier, more sustainable food and beverages.

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) recently announced Tennessee has been awarded $1 million in two federal grants to help prevent opioid abuse as part of HHS' "Opioid Initiative" that is "focused on improving opioid prescribing practices, expanding access to medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder and increasing the use of naloxone to reverse opioid overdoses." Tennessee is one of 21 states and tribes receiving funding through the Strategic Prevention Framework Partnerships for Prescription Drugs grant program to raise awareness about prescription drug misuse and implement community prevention activities. Tennessee is also one of 14 states awarded funding from the Prescription Drug Overdose: Prevention for States program within the CDC to prevent overprescribing of opioids and drug overdoses.