Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County Receives Health Literacy Grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida

The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County was very pleased to receive a grant to fund a Health Literacy program at the Glades Family Education Program in Belle Glade.  The grant is made possible by the Florida Literacy Coalition and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida.

Delray Beach, FL:  The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County has been awarded a one-year $5,000 grant to implement a health literacy program in its Glades Family Education Program. 

Awarded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida and the Florida Literacy Coalition, this grant will integrate health and nutrition into the Literacy Coalition’s curriculum.  The focus is to help students acquire information and resources that will help them navigate the medical system and make informed health decisions.

There is a growing recognition among health care providers and adult educators around the country that limited literacy and English language skills can have a significant impact on one’s health. 

According to the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy’s (NAAL) report on the health literacy of America’s adults, 14% of adults have below basic health literacy skills.  Low health literacy costs an estimated $73 billion a year in the form of longer hospital stays, emergency room visits, increased doctor visits, and increased medication.

The Literacy Coalition is one of 16 grant recipients selected for the second grant year of this statewide initiative.