THE CARESTAR FOUNDATION AWARDS $900,000 TO CALIFORNIA NONPROFITS FOR GREATER HEALTH EQUITY IN EMERGENCY AND PREHOSPITAL CARE

BERKELEY, Calif., June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The CARESTAR Foundation today announced that it has awarded four grants totaling $900,000 over two years to several organizations across California in furtherance of its mission to fund and advocate for improvements to emergency and prehospital care in the state.

Approximately $450,000 will go to two nonprofits including EMS Corps and City EMT, both focused on emergency medical technician (EMT) training for young people of color; a $300,000 grant will be used by Interface Children and Family Services to address the challenges of the state's overworked 911 system with a new 211 solution that aims to reduce the number of non-life-threatening calls; and $150,000 in general operating support will go to the Prevention Institute to further their work in building prevention and health equity into policies and actions at the state and local levels.

"We maintain our steadfast commitment to systems change in the name of bringing greater health equity to emergency and prehospital care in California," said Tanir Ami CEO of the CARSTAR Foundation. "With these latest grants, we are supporting grantees whose work moves us towards this goal by addressing critical components that supplement and enhance the work of the state's local infrastructure."

Over 40 million California residents and visitors rely on effective emergency and prehospital care to provide help and save lives whenever a traumatic event or injury occurs, regardless of the precipitating cause (e.g., motor vehicle accident, gun violence, accidental fall, substance use, mental health crisis, wildfire, etc.).

The system responsible for providing this care is made up of a complex web of public and private agencies, independent communications systems, and a range of first responders and health care providers, all governed and influenced by local, state, and federal policies, regulations, and payors. This complexity coupled with California's uniquely diverse population of cultures, languages, and geographies provides both challenges and opportunities to ensure that all Californians receive the most equitable, unified, and compassionate emergency and prehospital care possible. 

The CARESTAR Foundation was founded in 2017 as a result of the sale of CALSTAR (California Shock Trauma Air Rescue), an air ambulance company, and honors CALSTAR'S legacy and lifesaving work in the field of emergency and trauma transport and care. CARESTAR's mission is to improve health outcomes for all Californians, by applying a racial equity lens to fund and advocate for improvements to emergency and prehospital care. www.carestarfoundation.org

SOURCE CARESTAR Foundation