Children's Healthcare of Atlanta receives $5 million multi-year gift to care for low-income children

Grant helps fund the construction and operation of the new Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding hospital

Kaiser Permanente of Georgia today announced a $5 million multi-year gift to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta with the goal of improving access to care for low-income children.

The gift helps fund the construction and operation of a new, state-of-the-art hospital that replaces the existing Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding facility in downtown Atlanta. In addition, half of the donation will help fund healthcare at the facility for Metro Atlanta children who are uninsured or underinsured.

"As a non-profit health plan, Kaiser Permanente understands and appreciates the important safety net role Children's Healthcare Atlanta, and particularly their Hughes Spalding facility, has in our community, especially for our most vulnerable population. We want to do our part to help it continue to serve as such a vital resource," said Peter Andruszkiewicz, president of Kaiser Permanente of Georgia.

The new Children's at Hughes Spalding facility is designed to enhance access and quality of care and reduce the care disparities and inequities that exist for many children in the metro area. Generations of families have received care at the Hughes Spalding location and consider it their medical home.

"With this new facility, all children in metro Atlanta will have access to superb pediatric healthcare, regardless of their family's income," said Dr. Rob Schreiner, executive medical director of Kaiser Permanente. "High quality health care will be provided in a safe, modern and family-friendly environment."

The new building will help to transform the care of the 71,000 inpatient admissions, emergency department visits and outpatient appointments made every year. The facility features brighter colors, child-friendly surfaces, interactive entertainment centers, a consumer library, child life specialists and up-to-date equipment.

"Kaiser Permanente's generosity is a wonderful example of how groups within the health care industry are working collaboratively to solve important issues, as well as serve the most vulnerable population -- our children," said Donna Hyland, President and CEO, Children's. "We are grateful Kaiser Permanente has entrusted these funds to us so that together, we can serve Georgia's children now and in the future."

The multi-year gift includes a $1 million donation from Kaiser Permanente each year through 2013. Overall in 2009, Kaiser Permanente has provided more than $21 million in community benefit funding to improve access to care and coverage for low income populations, support to safety net clinics, scholarships for health professions, an educational theatre program, and grants that promote healthy eating and active living.