MINNESOTA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION

THE MMA FOUNDATION SUPPORTS THE MISSION OF THE MMA TO MAKE MINNESOTA THE HEALTHIEST STATE AND BEST PLACE TO PRACTICE. IT DEVELOPS AND PROMOTES INITIATIVES TO ACCOMPLISH ITS VISION OF PHYSICIANS LEADING EFFORTS TO ADVANCE OPTIMAL HEALTH AND HEALTH EQUITY FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL AND ALL COMMUNITIES. IN 2023, THE FOUNDATION AWARDED TWO COMMUNITY HEALTH GRANTS. ONE OF THESE COMMUNITY HEALTH GRANTS PROVIDED $5,000 FOR A PROJECT TO PROVIDE MEDICAL STUDENT FELLOWS WITH ADVOCACY-RELATED SKILLS DEVELOPMENT; THE SECOND PROVIDED $8,000 FOR RESEARCH AND SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT AN INITIATIVE TO INCREASE AND NORMALIZE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DEATH AND DYING AND INCREASE THE NUMBER OF COMPLETED HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVES. THE FOUNDATION ALSO CONTINUED ITS SUPPORT FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS, RESIDENTS, AND FELLOWS BY PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE AND RESEARCH. IN 2023, THE FOUNDATION DELIVERED $11,235 IN SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS. IN 2023, THE FOUNDATION CONTINUED ITS SUICIDE PREVENTION INITIATIVE BY FUNDING PHYSICIAN-LED TRAINING IN COUNSELING ON ACCESS TO LETHAL MEANS AND QUESTION-PERSUADE-REFER SUICIDE PREVENTION GATEKEEPER TRAINING TO MEDICAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERS ACROSS MINNESOTA.IN THE PAST YEAR, THE FOUNDATION ALSO SUPPORTED ITS PHYSICIAN VOLUNTEERISM PROGRAM, WHICH IS A RESOURCE THAT IDENTIFIES VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES SPECIFICALLY FOR PHYSICIANS. THE PROGRAM GROWS OUT OF THE FOUNDATION'S DESIRE TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO CARE IN MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES AND CALLS UPON THE INTEREST IN COMMUNITY SERVICE HELD BY MOST PHYSICIANS.