THIS IS A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OFFICE OF UNITED STATES SENATOR JAY ROCKEFELLER.

Washington, D.C. – Senator Jay Rockefeller today announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has refunded West Virginia for both the Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention and WISEWOMAN (Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation) programs. The awards – $579,657 for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention and $746,000 for WISEWOMAN – started on June 30 and will last for five years.

“With heart disease the leading cause of death in our state and stroke a close third, it’s critically important for West Virginians to know the warning signs and what they can do to be healthy,” Rockefeller said. “We need to provide outreach and education on how to prevent these chronic diseases, and that’s just what these vital federal programs provide.”

West Virginia received funding for the Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention program prior to 2007, but states had to re-compete for funding last year – and West Virginia was one of only three states that were approved but not funded. In October of last year, Rockefeller’s amendment to restore West Virginia’s funding was passed by the U.S. Senate in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill and a modified version was ultimately signed into law as part of the fiscal year 2008 consolidated appropriations bill.

“We’re going to have to keep fighting for this funding, because the President’s budget continues to request cuts to these programs,” Rockefeller added. “As we discuss the budget in Congress, I’ll work to not only restore, but also increase funding for the disease prevention programs our state needs.”

The CDC’s State Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention program – operated in the state under the Bureau for Public Health – raises public awareness on the warning signs of heart disease and stroke and the importance of calling 911 when such symptoms appear. It’s a prevention program that works primarily with West Virginia’s health care providers to get more information on these chronic diseases to our citizens, particularly those in underserved populations.

Administered through the CDC’s National Heart Disease and Stroked Prevention Program, WISEWOMAN program screens uninsured, under-insured and low-income women between the ages of 40 and 64 for heart disease and stroke risk. For those who receive abnormal results from the screening, the program provides counseling, education, referral and follow-up services.

In West Virginia, the WISEWOMAN program also is administered through the Bureau for Public Health. It began in the state in 2003 and, since getting off the ground the following year, has served more than 700 West Virginia women. The program is designed to be highly accessible and works to meet women where they are, as those who participate are able to get services through their local doctors and health care providers.