Department of Health and Human Services awards over $50 Million for new health center sites

Today, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced over $50 million in funding for 75 health centers in 23 states, Puerto Rico and the Federated State of Micronesia.

“We expect this competitive New Access Point funding to provide health care to more than 240,000 additional patients, ” said Dr. Mary Wakefield,  Acting Deputy Secretary at HHS. “These new health center sites will contribute significantly to the health of families and communities across the nation.”

Health centers are community-based and patient-directed organizations that deliver comprehensive, culturally competent, high-quality primary health care services. Health centers also often integrate access to pharmacy, mental health, substance abuse and oral health services in areas where economic, geographic or cultural barriers limit access to affordable health care services.

“For millions of Americans, including some of the most vulnerable individuals and families, health centers are the essential medical home where they find services that promote health and diagnose and treat disease and disability,” said Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Acting Administrator Jim Macrae. “One in 13 people nationwide rely on a HRSA-funded health center for their preventive and primary health care needs.”

Nearly 1,400 health centers operating over 9,800 sites provide care to more than 24 million people across the nation, in every U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Pacific Basin. Today, health centers employ nearly 190,000 people.

For more information on these awards, visit  https://bphc.hrsa.gov/programopportunities/fundingopportunities/newaccesspoints/fy2017awards/index.html

To learn more about HRSA’s Health Center Program, visit http://bphc.hrsa.gov/about/index.html.

To find a health center in your area, visit http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/.