Thompson secures funding for St. Joseph

Eureka Times Standard

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the 2010 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill Friday, and part of it could bring $350,000 in funding to Eureka's St. Joseph Hospital, if the Senate approves the legislation with that allocation intact.

North Coast Congressman Mike Thompson was able to secure the funding, which will help support the hospital's $127 million hospital improvement project.

The project will help the hospital meet California seismic safety standards and will erect a new hospital tower that will more than double the size of the hospital's emergency department. It will also add four additional Intensive Care Unit beds, and three new operating rooms.

”Providing access to high quality, affordable health care is an extremely important priority for our community,” Thompson said in a press release. “St. Joseph serves our community well, and this funding will help them expand their capacity to continue their services.”

Joe Mark, CEO of St. Joseph and Redwood Memorial hospitals, said the funding secured by Thompson will have a big impact for the hospital and the whole North Coast.

”We commend Congressman Thompson for recognizing quality health care as a critical anchor for the entire economic stability of life in rural areas and especially Humboldt County,” Mark said in the release. The hospital's total raised through private and public support to more than $10.4 million.

Once the local health system raises its goal of $12.5 million, its parent organization, St. Joseph Health System, based in Orange, has pledged to match the funds dollar-for-dollar.

The appropriations bill passed Friday also contains funding for community health centers, Head Start and senior nutritional programs.

Having passed the House, the bill is now headed to the Senate for consideration.