Bost Scholar - Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky

Graduate Student Research Funding Opportunity:

Dr. Howard Lee Bost Memorial Scholar

The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky is please to offer a funding opportunity to offset some research-related costs for masters and doctoral students completing a thesis, dissertation or capstone project in health, nonprofit, business and related fields, that addresses a matter of health policy important to the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky in addressing the unmet health care needs of Kentuckians.   This award is created in memory of Dr. Howard Lee Bost. 

Dr. Bost, a long-time resident of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, was the first person to receive a doctorate in health economics from the University of Michigan. Through his vision and commitment, in a lifetime of dedicated service, Dr. Bost’s policy-level work has improved the health of Kentuckians and all Americans.  His work has been important to:

• Creation of the national Medicare program, in his capacity as Executive Director of the National Committee on Health Care of the Aged
• Planning and implementation of Medicare, as the first Deputy Director of the Bureau of Health Services in the Social Security Administration, for which he received a Presidential Commendation
• Founding of the University of Kentucky Medical Center
• Development of Appalachian Regional Hospital System, a network of hospitals bringing accessible care to residents of Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia, which he served as chair of the Board of Directors in its early years
• Development of Kentucky’s Medicaid program, through his work on the Governor’s Commission on Indigent Health Care
• Creation of Kentucky’s regional system of community mental health and mental retardation services, through his work as Chair of the Mental Health and Mental Retardation Planning Commission and their report, Pattern for Change
• Creation of the vision of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, which he served as a founding Director

The Foundation seeks graduate students who understand the importance of health policy and  exhibit  Dr. Bost’s traits of leadership, vision, integrity and commitment to improving the health of communities and providing access with dignity to quality healthcare for persons in need.

Scholar awards are intended to cover costs related to a student’s proposed research, that are not funded or fundable from other sources.

Click here for Application packet. The application deadline is May 1, 2010; funds will be made available to the scholar’s institution upon execution of an Agreement, approved by the Foundation, the scholar, and the scholar’s thesis/dissertation/capstone advisor.

The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky is an endowed public charity dedicated to addressing the unmet health care needs of Kentuckians.  Our approach centers on developing and influencing health policy, to promote lasting change in the systems by which health care is provided, for the purposes of:

• Improving access to care
• Reducing health risks and disparities
• Promoting health equity

The Foundation’s current focus areas are:

• To support health education and prevention, with an aim to improve nutrition and fitness for children and families and prevent youth smoking and substance abuse
• To enhance access to health services and care for all ages, particularly for low-income, uninsured and rural populations, and to integrate access to mental health and medical services