SCHUMER ANNOUNCES OVER $360,000 IN ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT FUNDING COMING TO ERIE COUNTY FOR EXPANDED SERVICE AT COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE CENTERS
Economic Recovery Act Will Fund Projects Under Department of Health and Human Services to Provide Greater Access to Care for Residents in Erie County
Funding Will Go Toward Adding Providers and Expanding Service and Hours of Operation - Will Provide Service to Estimated 90,000 Patients Across the Country
Erie County is Receiving Over $360,000; Upstate New York in Line to Receive $8.8 Million Total
Today, United States Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that two Community health centers in Erie County will be receiving $369,581 through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funded by President Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The funding will provide greater access to medical care for residents in Erie County and across the country. Funds will help add new providers, expand hours of operation and expand services to an estimated 90,000 New York patients, of which over 31,000 do not have health insurance. Community Health Centers across Upstate New York have been allocated a total of $8,831,567.
"These funds are just what the doctor ordered," said Schumer. "In these tough economic times, this federal funding from the Economic Recovery Package will go a long way in ensuring that all residents have continued access to quality, affordable healthcare."
Erie County has received a total of $992,117 through the Economic Recovery Act under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The numbers for the area break down as follows:
- $177,698 for the Community Health Center Of Buffalo, Inc.
- $191,883 for the Northwest Buffalo Community Health Care Center, Inc
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released $338 million today through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to expand services offered at community health centers nationwide. The grants titled Increased Demand for Services (IDS) grants will be distributed to 1,128 federally qualified health center grantees. Health centers will use the funds over the next two years to create or retain approximately 6,400 health center jobs.
Grantees previously 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 2.1 million patients over the next two years, including approximately 1 million uninsured people.
These 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. Those grants will provide access to health center care for 750,000 people in 39 states and two territories.
