REP. MIKE THOMPSON ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $10.6 MILLION IN FUNDS FOR LOCAL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS
May 2, 2012
Health care law helps Community Health Centers build, renovate facilities, serve more patients
Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-01) today announced $10,659,512 in grants for local community health centers across California's 1st District. The funds will be allow the health centers to expand its facilities, improve existing serves and serve more patients. The awards are part of a series of capital investments made available through the Affordable Care Act.
“Community health centers are a critical component to the accessibility of quality and affordable health care,” said Thompson. “These funds, which were made possible through the Affordable Care Act, will improve health care and support local jobs for folks across our communities.”
Health Centers who received the grants include:
“SVCHC is honored to be selected for this wonderful opportunity! Thanks to the diligent efforts of Congressman Thompson and his staff, SVCHC will be able to enhance our current services as well as offer expanded services including dental. SVCHC's Board and staff welcome the opportunity to serve even more residents as we strive to meet the needs of the Sonoma Valley community,” said Cheryl Johnson Interim Executive Director of the Sonoma Valley Community Health Center.
“We are enormously grateful for these funds which will be used to update our Calistoga health center, where we provide nearly 600 medical and dental visits each month,” said Tanir Ami, CEO of Community Health Clinic Ole. “Our staff there has been working with an antiquated phone system and hand-me-down computers and dental equipment and without a dedicated computer server since 1999. Updating this site will improve the quality of care we provide by making sure providers have immediate and consistent access to our electronic health record system with a dedicated server on site; a reliable and less expensive phone system, and dental equipment that doesn't break down, delaying patient treatment.”
The grants announced today will help expand access to health care to an additional 860,000 patients nationwide.
To date, the health care law has supported 190 construction and renovation projects at health centers and the creation of 67 new health center sites nationwide. Over the next two years the law will support more than 485 new health center construction and renovation projects and the creation of 245 new community health center sites.
Overall, since the beginning of 2009, employment at community health centers has increased by 15 percent. And, primarily due to the Affordable Care Act and the Recovery Act, community health centers are serving nearly 3 million additional patients today and will serve an additional 1.3 million additional new patients in the next two years.
These health centers improve the health of the nation's underserved communities by ensuring access to primary health care services. Currently, more than 8,500 service delivery sites around the country deliver care to more than 20 million patients regardless of their ability to pay.
Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 1st Congressional District, which includes the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, and Yolo. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and sits on the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.
“Community health centers are a critical component to the accessibility of quality and affordable health care,” said Thompson. “These funds, which were made possible through the Affordable Care Act, will improve health care and support local jobs for folks across our communities.”
Health Centers who received the grants include:
- CommuniCare Health Centers in Davis - $5,000,000
- Sonoma Valley Community Health Center in Sonoma - $5,000,000
- Community Health Clinic Ole in Napa - $175,000
- Open Door Community Health Centers in Arcata - $484,512
“SVCHC is honored to be selected for this wonderful opportunity! Thanks to the diligent efforts of Congressman Thompson and his staff, SVCHC will be able to enhance our current services as well as offer expanded services including dental. SVCHC's Board and staff welcome the opportunity to serve even more residents as we strive to meet the needs of the Sonoma Valley community,” said Cheryl Johnson Interim Executive Director of the Sonoma Valley Community Health Center.
“We are enormously grateful for these funds which will be used to update our Calistoga health center, where we provide nearly 600 medical and dental visits each month,” said Tanir Ami, CEO of Community Health Clinic Ole. “Our staff there has been working with an antiquated phone system and hand-me-down computers and dental equipment and without a dedicated computer server since 1999. Updating this site will improve the quality of care we provide by making sure providers have immediate and consistent access to our electronic health record system with a dedicated server on site; a reliable and less expensive phone system, and dental equipment that doesn't break down, delaying patient treatment.”
The grants announced today will help expand access to health care to an additional 860,000 patients nationwide.
To date, the health care law has supported 190 construction and renovation projects at health centers and the creation of 67 new health center sites nationwide. Over the next two years the law will support more than 485 new health center construction and renovation projects and the creation of 245 new community health center sites.
Overall, since the beginning of 2009, employment at community health centers has increased by 15 percent. And, primarily due to the Affordable Care Act and the Recovery Act, community health centers are serving nearly 3 million additional patients today and will serve an additional 1.3 million additional new patients in the next two years.
These health centers improve the health of the nation's underserved communities by ensuring access to primary health care services. Currently, more than 8,500 service delivery sites around the country deliver care to more than 20 million patients regardless of their ability to pay.
Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 1st Congressional District, which includes the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, and Yolo. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and sits on the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.
# # #
Issues:Health CareJobs & Economy