“These new funds help carry out the President's vision for a significant expansion of our nation's network of community health centers,” HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said.  "We want to double the number of patients served by our health centers.  This is a central element in the President's plan for expanding access to health care, especially for those without health insurance."

Today’s awards, the second round of fiscal year 2002 grants (see first round) under the President’s initiative, will help bring needed health services to some 157,000 Americans in 17 states.  The President’s fiscal year 2003 budget requests $1.5 billion for health centers, a $114 million increase that would continue his administration's long-term strategy to create or expand 1,200 health center sites over five years and ultimately double the number of patients treated at them.  About half the patients treated at health centers have no insurance coverage, and many others have inadequate coverage.

In addition, HRSA today awarded nine grants totaling $445,000 under its Healthy Schools-Healthy Communities Program. These grants, awarded to health centers in eight states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, help communities plan and develop full-service, school-based health centers that provide comprehensive primary and preventive health care, including mental and oral health services.

Most of today’s awards are made under HRSA’s Community Health Center Program.  Five other awards are funded through the Health Care for the Homeless, Public Housing Primary Care, and Migrant Health Center Programs.

The two new Health Care for the Homeless grants will support critical services for over 5,600 homeless individuals and families. These individuals present the most complex health care issues and face the most serious barriers in gaining access to care.  Two Public Housing Primary Care Program grants will provide primary care, mental health, oral health and outreach services to an additional 2,900 residents of public housing.  In addition, the grants will connect public housing residents to supportive services such as job placement, educational and social service programs.  And the migrant health center grant in New York will provide much needed primary care services to approximately 2,800 migrant and seasonal farm workers and their families.

The $1.3 billion Community Health Centers program supports a nationwide network of more than 3,300 health center sites serving some 11 million low-income patients.  Expansion of the community health centers is a centerpiece of the Bush administration's plans for expanding access to care.  HRSA will provide a total $165 million in new funds this year for 260 new and expanded centers, which will serve an additional 1.25 million persons.  The President's budget for fiscal year 2003 also proposes another $114 million next year, to serve another 1 million patients.  The President's five-year plan is to fund a total of 1,200 new and expanded health centers.

Awards in the third round of Health Center Access Points grants are expected to be announced by the end of April.  Applications for the final round of fiscal year 2002 awards under the initiative must be postmarked by April 30.

HRSA also administers the National Health Service Corps, which provides scholarships and student loan assistance in exchange for service by physicians and other health care professionals in underserved rural and inner-city areas, including community health centers.  For fiscal year 2003, President Bush proposed a 30 percent increase in NHSC funding. 

The list of today’s grant recipients is attached below.  

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Fiscal Year 2002 Health Center New Access Point Grants

MHC = Migrant Health Center Program
CHC = Community Health Center Program
HCH = Health Care for the Homeless Program
PHPC = Public Housing Primary Care Program