The state Department of Community Health is taking steps to improve breast cancer services for Georgia's uninsured population through a $1.2 million statewide initiative that will provide grants to organizations offering breast cancer health promotion, screening and treatment to indigent women.

The grants will range from $25,000 to $50,000 for screening projects and up to $300,000 for treatment projects, the department said Monday.

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Community groups applying for treatment grants must demonstrate "strong, comprehensive partnerships with various health care providers to provide breast cancer services to underserved populations," the department said.

It said it will accept applications until July 21.

"Every year more than 1,000 women in Georgia die of breast cancer," said James Peoples, executive director of the department's Office of Health Improvement. "This program represents our part in preventing another life joining this statistic. We are empowering community-based organizations to make a significant contribution to the reduction in breast cancer disparities."

In the United States, breast cancer is the sixth leading cause of death for women.

Early diagnosis and advances in treatment have "dramatically improved" survival rates, the DCH statement said.

Dr. Rhonda Medows, commissioner of DCH, said breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in white, black, Asian/Pacific islander and American Indian-Alaska Native women.

"Although cancer deaths have declined for both whites and African-Americans living in the United States, African-Americans continue to suffer the greatest burden of this disease, to be diagnosed later and are more likely to die from breast cancer."

In a related move, DCH said it was unveiling a program to provide grants ranging from $75,000 to $100,000 to community based organizations working to improve minority health.

"We cannot hope to significantly improve the health status of our state as a whole if more than a third of our population continues to suffer disparities in health," Medows said. "Georgia is committed to creating an environment of change that leads to health equity across our state."

The "Georgia Health Equity Grant Program" aims to reduce and eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities.

The statement said grants will be awarded to organizations focusing on areas of the state with high incidences of health disparities.