Mass. Grants $40 Million For Health Initiatives

Gov. Deval Patrick has announced that more than $40 million in grants will be awarded to community-based programs for preventing chronic illnesses by cutting health care costs.

Nine community-based partnerships, including the Boston Public Health Commission, city of Worcester and city of Lynn are among the recipients.

The initiative is intended to reduce costs tied to diseases such as diabetes, obesity and asthma that can be prevented if people know how to maintain and manage their health.

Each of the grantees under the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund will receive up to $250,000 initially.

Additional funding will be awarded for grantees that show promise over the next three years. Funding will be subjected to the specific health and cost savings benchmarks administered by the Department of Public Health.