HRSA Awards $61 Million in New Health Center Grants
Some Awards Will Establish New Health Centers in High-Poverty Areas

HRSA Administrator Elizabeth M. Duke today announced $61 million in new health center grants to help half a million Americans — many with no health insurance — obtain access to the comprehensive primary and preventive health care services that health centers provide.

The announcement, made by Duke at the National Association of Community Health Centers' annual convention in Dallas, moves HRSA closer to fulfilling the goals of President Bush's Health Center Initiative. Launched in 2002, the President's initiative aims to increase access to primary health care services in 1,200 communities by supporting new or expanded health center sites. HRSA, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, administers the health center program.

Included in the grants Duke announced today are:

• Seventy-five grants, worth $36.9 million, will create new health centers under President Bush's High Poverty County Initiative. This initiative, first announced in the President's 2005 State of the Union address, seeks to bring the benefits of health centers to low-income counties that do not currently enjoy access to health center care. The grants will help an estimated 300,000 residents in these areas gain access to health center services.
  
  
• Twenty-five grants, worth almost $2 million, will be used to create plans to develop health centers in high poverty counties.

“President Bush's High Poverty County Initiative will put health center sites in more low-income counties than ever before,” Duke said. “These grants strengthen and support efforts to extend the health care safety net to more Americans who otherwise might not have access to care.”

These awards also were announced by Duke at the NACHC meeting:

• Grants totaling $20 million will establish 41 new health center sites in 25 states. These New Access Point grants will help an estimated 220,000 Americans gain access to health center services. The New Access Point grants were awarded to health care organizations in areas where more primary medical care is needed.
  
  
• Grants worth over $1 million will expand medical capacity at four existing health centers in Arizona, Indiana, and South Carolina helping an additional 12,700 individuals receive primary health care services.

Health centers deliver preventive and primary care services to patients regardless of their ability to pay; charges for health care services are set according to income. Four in 10 patients treated at health centers have no insurance coverage; many others have inadequate coverage.

Health centers funded by HRSA represent more than 4,000 service delivery sites, including community health centers, migrant health centers, health care for the homeless centers and public housing primary care centers.

In FY 2007, $2 billion was appropriated to support the Health Center Program. For additional information, visit http://www.bphc.hrsa.gov. The grant awards are listed below:

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The Health Resources and Services Administration ( HRSA ), part of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable.  For more information about HRSA and its programs, visit www.hrsa.gov.

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