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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 18, 2002
Contact: HRSA Press Office
(301) 443-3376

HHS AWARDS NEARLY $19 MILLION TO 149 HEALTH CENTERS
TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE SERVICES


HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced 149 grants totaling nearly $19 million to help the nation's health centers provide a greater variety of health care services to more Americans in rural and inner-city areas.

Today's awards will create new oral health care delivery sites as well as expand services at current centers, and expand the availability of mental health, substance abuse treatment and pharmacy services at existing health centers. The service expansion grants, part of President Bush's multi-year plan to add 1,200 new and expanded health center sites over five years and ultimately double the number of patients treated, will enable health centers in 47 states and Puerto Rico to broaden access for more than 200,000 people.

"Health centers are the only source of health care available to many people in the communities that will benefit from these grants," said Secretary Thompson. "By expanding vital services at health centers, these grants will markedly improve local residents' overall health and well-being."

Specifically, awards announced today include:

Today's grants are part of the Consolidated Health Center Program, whose $1.33 billion budget in fiscal year 2002 funds a national network of more than 3,300 health centers and clinics that serve about 11 million low-income patients. Community Health Centers are the largest component of the program, which also supports Migrant Health Centers, Healthcare for the Homeless Centers, Public Housing Primary Care Centers and School-based Health Centers. HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) oversees the Consolidated Health Center Program.

The list of today's grant recipients is available at newsroom.hrsa.gov/releases/2002releases/serviceexpansion.htm.

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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news.