Inova Juniper Program Receives Grant for Arlington Clinic

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Donates $250,000 for HIV Care

Arlington, VA – (December 15, 2009) – CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield has donated more than $250,000 to the Inova Juniper Program’s Arlington clinic to fund additional services for HIV/AIDS patients. The funds, presented to Inova Dec. 15, will help pay for an additional clinical social worker as well as help provide primary medical-care services, including laboratory tests, diagnostic tests, drug assistance and oral healthcare, to patients receiving services at the Arlington site.

“These much-needed funds will help us provide vital services in a community where the demand for HIV- and AIDS-related care continues to grow,” said Karen Berube, LCSW, CSAC, director, Inova Juniper Program. “We’re grateful to CareFirst and Arlington County leadership for their commitment and ongoing support of our healthcare efforts.”

Inova Juniper Program expects demand for its services to grow, due largely to the closing of Whitman Walker Clinic of Northern Virginia. Inova Juniper Program estimated that 250 clients receiving treatment or care at Whitman Walker would transition their care to Inova, and in fact between February and March 2009, the program saw 143 new patients, compared to the same time period in 2008 when there were only 30 new patients. This increase in demand required additional resources and space to ensure that patients continued to receive high-quality care.

“We think Inova Juniper Program meets a critical need in the Arlington community, and it was important for CareFirst to step up and provide the resources to increase access to HIV and AIDS care for the region,” said Maria Harris Tildon, Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Community Affairs, CareFirst.

Inova Juniper Program provides primary medical care, medical case management, mental health and substance abuse services on an outpatient basis to more than 1,100 persons living with HIV throughout Northern Virginia. To maximize accessibility for clients, services are provided at the main office in Springfield, and five satellite offices throughout the region. For more information about the Inova Juniper Program, visit inova.org/juniper.

In its 72nd year of service, CareFirst – an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association – is a not-for-profit health care company that through its affiliates and subsidiaries offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to nearly 3.4 million individuals and groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. Through its CareFirst Commitment initiative and other public mission activities, CareFirst supports efforts to increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of healthcare throughout its market areas. To learn more about CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, visit www.carefirst.com.

Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.