HHS Releases $13M in Grants for Community Health Centers

HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson on Dec. 9 announced 42 grants totaling more than $13 million to create new community health center sites and expand capacity at existing centers in 23 states. The awards include 20 New Access Points grants totaling about $8.3 million and 22 Expanded Medical Capacity grants worth more than $4.7 million. The grants are expected to provide health services to an additional 195,000 U.S. residents. The funding is part of the Bush administration's efforts to add or expand health centers in 1,200 communities and increase the number of patients served to more than 16 million by 2006. The program "will make sure more Americans get the prenatal care, checkups, preventive treatments and other services they need to get better or stay healthy," Thompson said (HHS release, 12/9).