HHS awards Affordable Care Act funds for an organization in Colorado to become a community health center

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced an award of $80,000 to one organization in Colorado that would like to become a community health center. These funds, made available by the Affordable Care Act, support organizations’ development as a future health center.

Health centers improve the health of the nation and assure access to quality primary health care services at more than 8,100 service delivery sites around the country. Health centers provide comprehensive, high-quality preventive and primary health care to patients regardless of their ability to pay; charges for services are set according to income.

“Supporting the development of new community health centers will help us meet the healthcare needs of millions while supporting local jobs and economic growth in communities nationwide,” said Secretary Sebelius.

Community health centers are also an integral source of local employment and economic growth in many underserved and low-income communities. Since the beginning of 2009, health centers across the country have added more than 18,600 new full-time positions in many of the nation’s most economically distressed communities. In 2010, they employed more than 131,000 staff and new funds made available by HHS last week will help create thousands more jobs nationwide.

Today’s award will fund Denver Indian Health & Family Services, Inc. in Colorado to provide a more comprehensive range of primary health care services and/or expand their services to the larger community. The funding announced today will help this organization plan for the development of a comprehensive primary care health center, so that they can provide care for some of the nation’s most vulnerable populations and potentially create more high-quality jobs in the future for their communities.

“The Health Center Planning Grants help organizations plan to become health centers,” said HRSA Administrator Mary K. Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N. “These awards demonstrate HRSA’s commitment to expanding access to quality preventive and primary health care in high need areas across the country.”

Eligible applicants included public or nonprofit private entities, including tribal, faith-based and community-based organizations. Current Health Center Program grantees were not eligible. Health Center Planning Grants, listed by organization and State, are at: http://www.hrsa.gov/about/news/2011tables/1108healthcenterplanning.html

To learn more about the Affordable Care Act, visit www.healthcare.gov.

To learn more about HRSA’s Community Health Center Program, visit http://bphc.hrsa.gov/about/index.html.

To find a health center in your area, visit http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.



CONTACT:

HRSA Press Office
301-443-3376

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Colorado

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Health  Hospitals  Public Policy/Government  Healthcare Reform  Public Policy  State/Local  General Health

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