The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services on Wednesday announced the awarding of new grants to expand community health centers.
The grants, awarded to 219 health centers, will help expand access to care for more than 1.25 million additional patients and create approximately 5,640 jobs by establishing new health center delivery sites.
Community health centers work to improve the health of the nation by ensuring access to quality primary health care services. The awards announced Wednesday total $128.6 million, funded by the Affordable Care Act, and will go to community health centers in 41 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands.
"Health centers serve more than 20 million patients nationwide and are an integral part of our healthcare system," Mary K. Wakefield, RN, PhD, administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, said in a news release. "These awards demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to quality healthcare."
Health centers are an integral source of local employment and economic growth in many underserved and low-income communities, according to HHS. In 2011, health centers employed more than 138,000 staff, including 11,800 nurses; 6,900 nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives and physicians’ assistants; 9,900 physicians; 10,300 dental staff; 4,400 behavioral health staff; and more than 12,500 case managers, health education, outreach and transportation staff.
The 5,640 jobs created through the new awards will go to nurses, physicians, dental providers and many other staff supporting services to more than 1.25 million new patients, according to HHS. Since the beginning of 2009, health centers have added more than 25,300 new full-time positions.
Eligible applicants were public or nonprofit private entities, including tribal, faith-based and community-based organizations that meet health center funding requirements. Current HRSA grantees and first-time applicants were eligible.
Health Center New Access Point grants, listed by organization and state, are available at www.hrsa.gov/about/news/2012tables/120620nap.html.
The grants, awarded to 219 health centers, will help expand access to care for more than 1.25 million additional patients and create approximately 5,640 jobs by establishing new health center delivery sites.
Community health centers work to improve the health of the nation by ensuring access to quality primary health care services. The awards announced Wednesday total $128.6 million, funded by the Affordable Care Act, and will go to community health centers in 41 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands.
"Health centers serve more than 20 million patients nationwide and are an integral part of our healthcare system," Mary K. Wakefield, RN, PhD, administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, said in a news release. "These awards demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to quality healthcare."
Health centers are an integral source of local employment and economic growth in many underserved and low-income communities, according to HHS. In 2011, health centers employed more than 138,000 staff, including 11,800 nurses; 6,900 nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives and physicians’ assistants; 9,900 physicians; 10,300 dental staff; 4,400 behavioral health staff; and more than 12,500 case managers, health education, outreach and transportation staff.
The 5,640 jobs created through the new awards will go to nurses, physicians, dental providers and many other staff supporting services to more than 1.25 million new patients, according to HHS. Since the beginning of 2009, health centers have added more than 25,300 new full-time positions.
Eligible applicants were public or nonprofit private entities, including tribal, faith-based and community-based organizations that meet health center funding requirements. Current HRSA grantees and first-time applicants were eligible.
Health Center New Access Point grants, listed by organization and state, are available at www.hrsa.gov/about/news/2012tables/120620nap.html.
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