NIHCM Awards $500,000 in Journalism Grants to Work Highlighting Mental Health, Health Care Access, and Costs 

Washington, D.C., February 1, 2023 - The NIHCM Foundation's 2022 Journalism Grant recipients include many of the nation's most trusted media outlets and organizations that provide training and resources to journalists. This year's grantees will offer new insights on the many factors impacting health care access and affordability. The NIHCM Foundation’s Journalism and Research Grant programs provide $1 million in grants each year.

“Our 25 grantees reflect NIHCM’s increased commitment to organizations that educate journalists covering complex health policy research, the health care marketplace, mental health, and public health. We are delighted to support national and local outlets advancing coverage of health equity, rural health, substance use disorders, and other important topics,” said Nancy Chockley, Founding President and CEO of NIHCM.

The NIHCM Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to transforming health care through evidence and collaboration.

The 2022 Grantees are:

Health Care Reporting

STAT - The Costs of Unmet Mental Health Needs
Millions of Americans have unmet mental health needs. This series will document the costs and explore solutions.

Erika Fry, Fortune - Non-Fatal Opioid Overdoses and Health
How do non-fatal opioid and drug overdoses affect individuals and communities? This series will look at the issue.

MindSite News - Highlighting Solutions to the Mental Health Crisis
America is in the midst of a longstanding mental health crisis. This digital reporting project will support the MindSite News Solutions Lab, which covers innovative efforts to improve delivery of mental health care and support.

Melba Newsome, Undark Magazine - Equity in Cancer Screening
Disparities in cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment, and survival persist for many populations. This project will look at the ways that cancer screening guidelines may contribute to these disparities.

Institute for Nonprofit News - Rural America’s Hidden Inequities
An investigation into critical health care issues in rural communities, including barriers to quality care and solutions to promote community health.

PBS NewsHour - Disparities in Maternal Mortality
This project explores continued disparities in maternal health outcomes, especially related to maternal mortality.

Power News Radio Network - Health Issues in Communities of Color
Power News Radio will provide trusted coverage of Black health issues to Black radio stations nationwide.

Native News Online - Closing the Health Gap in Indian Country
This project provides a platform for sharing news, data, education, and actionable health care information unique to Native individuals and communities.

Factchequeado - Health Information in Spanish Targeting Latino Communities
In an effort to promote access to quality health information, articles and digital resources will be produced targeting Latino communities and shared with allied media partners all over the United States.

Tradeoffs Podcast - Evidence-Based Solutions to Advance Health Equity
A podcast episode educating health care leaders on health equity challenges and solutions, such as improving primary care engagement among marginalized communities.

Science News - The Safe Water Shortage and Health
This project will synthesize the latest scientific research and field reporting to explain the increased mental health burden on communities with limited access to safe water and explore potential solutions.

Science Friday - Health Reporting
This project fills gaps in science coverage at major and local news outlets by producing digital and broadcast reporting on health news, innovations, and breakthroughs using evidence-based resources.

PharmedOut, Georgetown University Medical Center – Challenging Industry Information with Independent Evidence
Prescription drug spending continues to rise, and it is unclear whether new products provide more value than older therapies. This new podcast will explore how industry marketing practices impact health care affordability and contribute to unnecessary, wasteful, or dangerous choices in therapeutics.

Clayton Dalton, physician and writer - Private Equity Investment in Physician Groups
Given the increase in private equity (PE) investment in health care, this print project will look at the impact of PE acquisition on certain types of physician groups on health care cost and quality.

Healthcare Triage - Improving Health Literacy
This video series will explore evidence-based strategies for communicating health and scientific information effectively in order to improve public health.

Debra Gonsher Vinik, producer, writer and director - Women Lost in the Opioid Crisis
This film follows the journeys of women battling opioid use disorder, exposing gender inequities within health care. This project will explore recovery challenges and the depth of support that women need.

Educating Journalists

The Carter Center - Improving Reporting on Mental Health
In partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the World Psychiatric Association, and the International Center for Journalists, this project will update guidelines to support journalists in solutions-based, non-stigmatizing reporting.

Poynter Institute for Media Studies and KFF - Improving Local Health News
Partners Poynter and KFF are launching a pilot, virtual training program to help local and regional journalists become more skilled at using research to report on health.

Association of Health Care Journalists Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism - Understanding Health Issues
This program brings reporters to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention campus to meet with researchers in science and public health to increase their knowledge of complex health issues.

The Conversation - Translating Health Equity Research
This project amplifies diverse voices in health reporting by mentoring scholars of color to translate research on health disparities and inequities into journalism.

The Journalist’s Resource, a project of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy
This grant supports resources to improve media coverage of medical and health policy research, including research impacting the health care marketplace.

USC Annenberg School for Communication, Center for Health Journalism - Webinar Series
This webinar series educates journalists on a broad range of issues including prescription drug costs, the mental health crisis, and health equity.

Alliance for Health Policy - Rapid Response Briefings on Health Policy Issues
This webinar series convenes policy experts to educate journalists on pressing health policy issues.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation - Enhancing Health Reporting
Through residential training and one year of mentorship, this fellowship aims to deepen the media’s understanding and reporting of health care.

The Gerontological Society of America - Aging in Place: Social Determinants
This program educates reporters about issues affecting older adults, fostering professional development and training to cover topics such as care provided in the home, Alzheimer’s disease, and Medicare.