HHS announces an additional $169 million in Affordable Care Act funding to 266 community health centers

Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced today $169 million in Affordable Care Act funding to 266 new health center sites in 46 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico for the delivery of comprehensive primary health care services in communities that need them most. These new health center sites are projected to increase access to health care services for over 1.2 million patients. These awards build on the $101 million awarded to 164 new health center sites in May 2015.

“Across the country, health centers have provided a source of high-quality primary care for people in rural and urban communities for 50 years,” said Acting Deputy Secretary Mary Wakefield. “These Affordable Care Act funds build on the strong legacy of the health center program and provide even more individuals and families with access to the care they need the most.”

This investment will add to the more than 700 new health center sites that have opened as a result of the Affordable Care Act, including those awarded earlier this year. What started with one clinic in rural Mississippi and another in South Boston is today a national program that supports 1,300 community-based and patient-directed health centers with 9,000 sites serving nearly 23 million people.

“Health centers now provide primary care to one in fourteen people living in the United States,” said HRSA Acting Administrator Jim Macrae. “These awards mean that more communities than ever can count on a health center to help meet the increasing demand for primary care.”

From August 9th through the 15th, more than 1,000 events will be held around the country in observance of National Health Center Week, an annual celebration that highlights the many accomplishments of the Nation’s health centers.

To see a list of award winners, visithttp://bphc.hrsa.gov/programopportunities/fundingopportunities/NAP/0815awards/index.html.

The Presidential proclamation can be found here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/08/07/presidential-proclamation-national-health-center-week-2015 .

To view the Secretary’s blog, visit http://www.hhs.gov/blog/2015/08/10/health-center-program-serving-americas-communities-for-50-years.html

The see a list of award winners from May 2015, visithttp://www.hrsa.gov/about/news/2015tables/newaccesspoints/.

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

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

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