Medical College of Wisconsin Investing Funds to Address Three Specific Areas of Health

Friday, June 21st, 2024 -- 8:01 AM

(Benita Mathew, Green Bay Press-Gazette) The Medical College of Wisconsin is turning its attention to hypertension, childhood behavioral health, and the well-being of the state's health care workers.

According to Benita Mathew with Green Bay Press-Gazette, at a news conference Thursday at Lambeau Field, the Medical College of Wisconsin announced it will be investing $50 million as part of the MCW's Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment into the three areas to improve them statewide over the next five to 10 years.

The three health-related issues were determined to be priorities based on state data and 18 months of focus groups, surveys, and discussions with health care workers and community partners, said Jesse Ehrenfeld, director of the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment. Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin was established by MCW to steward funds from Blue Cross and Blue Shield United of Wisconsin.

Since 2004, the endowment has invested $338 million into 643 projects statewide including the creation of the MCW Green Bay and Wausau campuses. La Crosse, Racine, Winnebago, Brown, and Marathon counties have the most projects of at least nine funded by AHW.

It's unclear what activities or specific projects will be supported by the $50 million invested into the three areas, but the investment is meant to "move the needle" on improving residents' health in the three areas and expands research, said Joseph Kerschner, MCW dean of the School of Medicine, provost and executive vice president.

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