Obama administration announces new prevention and wellness awards

By Julian Pecquet - 09/14/10 03:22 PM ET

The Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday awarded $31 million for prevention and wellness projects in nine states. The money was included in the healthcare reform law's Prevention and Public Health Fund.

The awards support public health efforts to reduce obesity and smoking, increase physical activity and improve nutrition.

Here's the list:

• $3 million to the Alabama Department of Health: Mobile County, Alabama, for tobacco prevention;

• $2.3 million to the Arkansas Department of Health: City of North Little Rock, Arkansas, for obesity prevention; and Independence County, Arkansas, for obesity prevention;

• $5.8 million to Children's Memorial Hospital / City of Chicago, Illinois, for obesity prevention;

• $2.35 million to DeKalb County Board of Health, Georgia, for obesity prevention;

• $3.7 million to the North Carolina Division of Public Health: Appalachian District Health Department, North Carolina, for obesity prevention; and Pitt County, North Carolina, for obesity prevention;

• $4.85 million to the Pinellas County Health Department, Florida, for obesity prevention;

• $3.6 million to the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, California, for obesity prevention;

• $3.8 million to the Southern Nevada Health District, Nevada, for obesity prevention; and

• $1.6 million to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control for obesity prevention.