HHS Awards Grants To Expand Community Health Clinics in Rural, Inner-City Communities
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson yesterday announced $30 million in grants to establish 70 new and expanded health centers in rural and inter-city areas that will provide treatment to the uninsured and patients without adequate health coverage. HHS awarded the grants, part of President Bush's plan to establish 1,200 new and expanded health centers over the next five years, through the Health Resources and Services Administration's Consolidated Health Center Program. The grants will allow the new and expanded health centers to treat more than 500,000 additional patients. The health centers provide free and low-cost care to patients based on their annual incomes. "The grants will allow these health centers to expand their services and provide greater access to medical, dental, mental health and substance abuse services to those in need," Thompson said. "President Bush and I are committed to expanding services through community health centers nationwide as part of a broader strategy to help those Americans who lack health insurance," he added. HHS yesterday also awarded grants for school-based health centers and to improve access to primary care for migrant and seasonal farm workers (HHS release, 8/21).
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