March 31, 2009
March 31, 2009
Expands service to more than 53,000 patients, saves or creates 152 jobs
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that Michigan's 29 federally qualified health centers (FQHC) will receive more than $8.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act), allowing the centers to help an additional 53,749 patients - including 27,621 uninsured - over the next two years. The Recovery Act grants, administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will create or retain 152 health-care jobs in Michigan.
"This Recovery Act funding helps us meet the health-care needs of thousands of Michigan's uninsured citizens and keeps more than 150 health-care workers on the job at this critical time," said Granholm.
Health centers deliver preventive and primary care services to patients regardless of their ability to pay; charges for services are set according to income. Nationally, health centers served more than 16 million patients in 2007, about 40 percent of whom had no health insurance.
The grants, titled Increased Demand for Services (IDS) grants, will be distributed to 1,128 FQHC facilities over the next two years and will create or retain approximately 6,400 jobs nationally. The funds will provide care to an additional 2.1 million patients over the next two years, including approximately 1 million uninsured people.
Health-care centers that will receive grants submitted plans to the Department of Health and Human Services, explaining how the IDS funds would be used. Strategies to expand services may include adding new providers, expanding hours of operations, or expanding services.
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 establish 126 new health centers to provide access to care for 750,000 people nationally. Of that amount, Michigan will receive $2.6 million, creating 105 jobs at two health centers - the Western Wayne Family Health Center in Inkster and the Ingham County Health Department in Lansing.
"For many people who have lost their insurance, health centers become a vital source of quality, affordable care," said Granholm. "These Recovery Act dollars will help ensure that thousands of Michigan's newly-uninsured will receive the essential health services they need."
For the full list of Michigan health-care centers receiving IDS community health center grants, go to: http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/programs/hrsa/michigan.html
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, go to: http://bphc.hrsa.gov/
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