(BOSTON) – Boston Medical Center (BMC) announced today that it has received a $50,000 grant for the Autism Clinic from the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, the private foundation created by CVS Caremark Corporation, whose mission is to provide funding for health care, education and community involvement initiatives in CVS Caremark communities. BMC is one of 72 organizations selected from a pool of 660 applicants to receive an individual or multi-year grant for 2010.
The Autism Clinic, established in 2004 as a result of an increased number of patients referred specifically for autism in BMC's Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP), is led by Marilyn Augustyn, MD. In 2005, the addition of a second attending developmental pediatrician and a pediatrician training in developmental and behavioral pediatrics made it possible to serve 100 new families each year. Currently the clinic is staffed by four board certified Developmental and Behavioral Pediatricians and evaluates up to six children per week for possible autism and provides ongoing care for more than 600 families.
The grant will allow the Autism Clinic to develop a written behavioral curriculum for hands-on training for parents with low income and/or limited-English proficiency. The curriculum will address the most frequent and problematic areas of daily living for families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The grant will also provide resources for additional intensive skill building services for individuals who participate in seminars and require continued support and guidance. Additionally, an additional Education Specialist will be hired, thereby doubling the Clinic's capacity to meet the demand for educational advocacy services.
"The critical support services that we are able to provide families with a child on the autism spectrum are vital to the care we deliver," said Augustyn, a pediatrician at BMC. "Families at BMC often face a myriad of challenges beyond their child's diagnosis, including homelessness, poverty, community violence and food insecurity, and the additional support that we will be able to provide as a result of this grant can make a world of difference to many families."
"In today's challenging economy, it's more important than ever to support organizations that truly make a difference in the lives of children and families," said Eileen Howard Boone, Vice President, CVS Caremark Charitable Trust. "The CVS Caremark Charitable Trust is pleased to recognize BMC's Autism Clinic for truly making an impact in the communities we serve and we look forward to working with them in the year ahead."
The CVS Caremark Charitable Trust's grant to BMC is part of $3.3 million in grants awarded to more than 70 nonprofit organizations across the country in 2010. A number of these grants align with CVS Caremark All Kids Can, the company's signature philanthropic program focused on supporting children with disabilities by raising awareness about inclusion, creating greater opportunities for physical activity and play, and providing access to medical rehabilitation and related services.
Other CVS Caremark Charitable Trust grants provide support for medical services for the uninsured, grants to pharmacy schools, scholarships for the children of CVS Caremark colleagues and funding for community organizations for which CVS Caremark colleagues act as volunteers.
About Boston Medical Center
Boston Medical Center is a private, not-for-profit, 639-licensed bed, academic medical center that is the primary teaching affiliate of Boston University School of Medicine. Committed to providing high-quality health care to all, the hospital offers a full spectrum of pediatric and adult care services including primary and family medicine and advanced specialty care with an emphasis on community-based care. Boston Medical Center offers specialized care for complex health problems and is a leading research institution. Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine are partners in the Boston HealthNet—15 community health centers focused on providing exceptional health care to residents of Boston. For more information, please visit www.bmc.org.
About the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust
The CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, Inc. is a private foundation created by CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS). CVS Caremark is the largest provider of prescriptions and related health care services in the nation. The Trust's mission is to provide funding for health care, education and community involvement initiatives in CVS Caremark communities. General information about CVS Caremark is available through the Investor Relations portion of the Company's Web site at http://investor.cvs.com, or through the Web site's press room at www.cvs.com/pressroom.