News Room - Press Releases

News Release
For Immediate Release
For more information, contact:
Lynne Zultanky, MSRT
Director, Corporate Communications and Public Relations
Office:  757-889-5413
Pager: 757-680-3296
lynn_zultanky@bshsi.com

(Portsmouth, Va. – July 26, 2006) – The Commonwealth of Virginia recently approved a $100,000 grant for the Bon Secours Maryview Foundation Healthcare Center, a facility that provides free health care to uninsured residents of Portsmouth.

“We are grateful to Delegate Johnny Joannou and Senator Fred Quayle for their support in making this grant happen,” said John Stone, Bon Secours vice president of advocacy. “Delegate Joannou’s work in the budget conference committee was instrumental in increasing our grant request from $25,000 to $100,000.”

According to Stone, Bon Secours Maryview Foundation had worked with Joannou and Quayle to submit budget amendments with the House of Delegates and State Senate, respectively, in the recently completed session. When the House initially left the Maryview item out of its budget in the first round, and the Senate only included a $25,000 amount, Joannou was able, as a member of the joint House/Senate Budget Conference Committee, to restore the grant at $100,000, and that was included in the 2007/2008 state budget Gov. Tim Kaine signed last month.

“I was pleased to play a role in obtaining funding in the budget for this extremely worthwhile project,” said Joannou, D-Portsmouth. “With more than one million Virginians uninsured, I strongly support providing access to health care services for those who might otherwise not receive them. The Maryview Foundation Healthcare Center represents an innovative approach, and it deserves our support.” “We are pleased that the state funding was available for the Maryview Foundation Healthcare Center,” said Quayle, R-Suffolk. “I think it sends a message to all health care providers -- and to our communities -- that this is the type of effort we all need to support. I applaud the Sisters of Bon Secours for the wonderful work they continue to do.”

The grant will be administered through the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, the organization charged with administering state grants to non-state agencies. The Maryview Foundation must provide matching funds for the grant, and this requirement has been fulfilled through local and private sources.

The Maryview Foundation Healthcare Center is located at 3600 High Street, adjacent to Maryview Medical Center’s emergency department. The center provides emergency follow-up care, monitors conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic heart failure, and offers health education programs for individuals without insurance coverage or a primary care physician.

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Bon Secours Hampton Roads Health System is a leading health care organization known for providing care for the whole person with grace and clinical distinction. Bon Secours brings together a network of hospitals, primary care practices, ambulatory care sites and continuing care facilities to provide quality health care services to the residents of Hampton Roads. Bon Secours, which employs more than 4,500, includes: Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center, Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center, Mary Immaculate Hospital, Bon Secours Health Center at Harbour View, Bon Secours Maryview Nursing Care Center and St. Francis Nursing Center.