HRSA Awards $14.6M in Grants to Community Health Centers

HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration on Jan. 30 announced the first round of grants under President Bush's Health Center Initiative (HRSA release, 1/30). Expanding funding to community health centers is part of Bush's plan to increase the number of insured and access to health care that HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson detailed on Jan. 30 (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 1/31). The 60 grants -- totaling $14.6 million -- announced this week will fund new health center sites and "allow existing health centers to expand the services they offer." The grants include:

$8.9 million to allow 14 community health centers and four Health Care for the Homeless programs, which provide outreach and primary care services, to open new sites that will serve some 113,000 people.
$669,471 to seven groups to expand mental health and substance abuse services in underserved communities.
$133,334 to two communities to expand existing services for the Health Care for the Homeless program.
$5 million to 33 health centers to expand or establish oral health services.

Two hundred more Health Center Initiative grants will be awarded this year, with the second round expected within the next two months. The Bush administration's "long-term strategy" includes adding 1,200 new or "expanded" community health center sites in the next five years. Thompson said, "By expanding services at health centers, we are strengthening the health care safety net for people without health insurance and others living where health care providers remain scarce." He added, "President Bush and I are committed to expanding and strengthening community health centers over the long run to double the number of patients that they serve" (HRSA release, 1/30). This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.

HRSA Awards $14.6M in Grants to Community Health Centers

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