Senator Charles E. Schumer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 20, 2012

SCHUMER ANNOUNCES $481,667 FEDERAL GRANT FOR HUDSON RIVER HEALTHCARE TO BUILD FOUR NEW CLINICS IN NASSAU COUNTY

Schumer Pushed Department of Health and Human Services to Allocate Grant Money to Create Four New Clinics in Nassau County and Expand Services to Thousands of LI Residents

Schumer Successfully Secures Grant That Will Fund Creation of Federally Qualified Health Centers in Nassau County to Provide Primary and Preventative Care

Schumer: This Is A Huge Win for Long Island Residents

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced a $481,667 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grant that will fund the creation of four federally qualified health centers in Nassau County. Hudson River HealthCare (HRHCare) already operates sixteen community health clinics in the Hudson Valley and Long Island. This grant will allow HRHCare to expand and add four new clinics in Nassau County – in Elmont, Roosevelt, Hempstead and New Castle – to its network and provide vital primary, preventative and behavioral care to Long Island Residents.

“This is a huge win for Long Island residents that will now have four new federally qualified health centers,” said Schumer. “Residents of Nassau County have long needed more permanent health clinics and I applaud the Department of Health and Human Services for stepping up to the plate and providing funding to create them. Now, thousands of Long Island residents will be able to get the care they need.”

Schumer’s push will improve primary, preventative and behavioral care for Long Island residents in need of improved health care. With support, Hudson River HealthCare will expand its network, establishing four new access points in Nassau County. The four Federally Qualified Health Centers will provide increased access to care for the medically underserved.

Since 1975, Hudson River HealthCare has provided high-quality primary, preventative, and behavioral health services to residents living in the Hudson Valley and on Long Island. The Federally Qualified Health Center is comprised of sixteen community health centers located across nine counties that serve 42,000 patients through 183,000 encounters annually. Due to its proven track record of providing superior health services and its dedication to offering services to the medically underserved, HRHCare was asked to partner with Nassau Health Care Corporation to support four community health centers on Long Island.

This grant was one of many awarded to community health centers across the country today by HHS Secretary Kathleen Seblius. The grants awarded to 20 New York health centers totaled 10.5 million. A total of $128.6 million was awarded across the United States in the form of 219 awards. New York received the second largest number of awards in the country. These grants will help expand access to care for more than 1.25 million additional patients and create approximately 5,640 jobs by establishing new health center service delivery sites. Community health centers work to improve the health of the nation by ensuring access to quality primary health care services.

In New York, Community health centers provide high quality, affordable and accessible primary medical, dental and preventive care to more than 1.4 million New Yorkers at over 470 sites in urban, suburban and rural settings.

According to the Community Health Care Association of New York State, this funding opportunity is historic in its significance as it represents an unprecedented investment by the federal government in FQHCs and has the potential to expand New York State’s primary care system as never before, bringing essential new services to some of the highest-need areas. The awards announced today will infuse critical dollars into New York's health centers and their surrounding communities, enhancing health centers’ ability to serve more patients and creating thousands of jobs across the country.

Recent increased funding for America’s community health centers began with a $2 billion investment in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In 2010, the Affordable Care Act included $11 billion in funding for community health centers. The two laws combined will help America’s community health centers to serve nearly twice as many patients as before. The newly awarded funds will support renovation and construction projects and boost the centers’ ability to care for additional patients and while creating jobs in those communities. Community health centers are an integral source of local employment and economic growth in many underserved and low-income communities. In 2010, they employed more than 131,000 staff and new funds made available today will help create thousands of jobs nationwide.

In addition to providing essential health care, community health centers also provide high-quality jobs in communities nationwide. In 2010, they employed more than 131,000 staff including 9,600 physicians, 6,400 nurse practitioners, physicians’ assistants, and certified nurse midwives, 11,400 nurses, 9,500 dental staff, 4,200 behavioral health staff, and more than 12,000 case managers and health education, outreach, and transportation staff. Since the beginning of 2009, health centers have added more than 18,600 new full-time positions in many of the nation’s most economically distressed communities. The funding awards announced today will infuse critical dollars into health centers and their surrounding communities, enhancing health centers’ ability to serve more patients and creating thousands of jobs across the country.

A copy of Sen. Schumer’s letter is below:

December 2, 2010

The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius

Secretary

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

200 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20201

Dear Secretary,

I am pleased to write in support of the application submitted by Hudson River HealthCare (HRHCare) for funding under the Health Resources and Services Administration’s New Access Point Program. Such funding will enable Hudson River HealthCare to expand its network and provide care to more medically underserved patients.

With support, Hudson River HealthCare will expand its network, establishing four new access points in Nassau County. The four Federally Qualified Health Centers will provide increased access to care for the medically underserved, and I applaud Hudson River HealthCare for its foresight. I hope that the application meets with your approval.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer

United States Senator

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