Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has made available up to $40 million in grants to help reach families whose children qualify but are not yet enrolled in state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs, Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, announced Monday.

The grants will help support Congress and President Obama’s efforts to ensure that millions of uninsured children across the country get health care. The funds are part of the new Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, one of the first pieces of legislation passed by the Democratic-led Congress at the beginning of the year.

“The Children’s Health Insurance Program is a widely respected and very successful partnership between the federal and state government,” said Capps, a former school nurse. “It helps make sure that all of our children get the health care they need to live healthier, more productive lives. We know that there are thousands of children on the Central and South Coasts who are eligible for this important health care program but for a variety of reasons aren’t yet enrolled. These grants will help community organizations, tribal organizations, as well as states and local governments identify and enroll these children so they can access this critical health care.”

The new law provides $100 million for outreach campaigns aimed at reducing the number of low-income, uninsured children. The grants to states and organizations ultimately will total $80 million with the remaining funds going to other outreach efforts specified by the law. The grants will be administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Applications for the first cycle of funding are available online by clicking here. Applications submitted electronically are due by Aug. 6. Applications submitted by mail are due by Aug. 10. Grants will be awarded by Sept. 30, 2009.

To apply for the grants, applicants must be:

» A state

» A local government

» An Indian tribe or tribal consortium or other tribal organization

» A federal health safety net organization

» A national, state, local or community-based public or nonprofit private organization, including those that use community health workers

» A certified faith-based organization or consortium

» An elementary or secondary school

» A consortium made up of two or more of these entities.

For more information about the outreach grants, contact CMS’ Office of Acquisition and Grants Management, Acquisition and Grants Group, C2-21-15 Central Building, 7500 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21244-1850, or by e-mail at mary.greene@cms.hhs.gov.

— Emily Kryder is the communications director for Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara.