The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today announced the release of $17.6 million to expand services offered at community health centers in Florida. The money was made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and comes as more Americans join the ranks of the uninsured.
“More Americans are losing their health insurance and turning to health centers for care,” said Health Resources and Services Administrator Mary Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N. “These grants will aid centers in their efforts to provide care to an increasing number of patients during the economic downturn.”
The Increased Demand for Services (IDS) funds will be distributed to 43 federally qualified health center grantees in Florida. The health centers will use the funds over the next two years to create or retain approximately 255 health center jobs.
Grantees submitted plans explaining how the IDS funds would be used. Strategies to expand services may include, but are not limited to, adding new providers, expanding hours of operations or expanding services. The funds will provide care to an additional 100,976 patients in Florida over the next two years.
The IDS awards are the second set of health center grants provided through the Recovery Act. On March 2, President Obama announced grants worth $155 million to 126 new health centers. Those grants will provide access to health center care for 750,000 people in 39 states and two territories.
To see a list of grantees by state, go to http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/programs/hrsa/idsgawards.html. To find a health center near you or to learn more about health centers, visit http://bphc.hrsa.gov/.
