Washington, DC | by Kevin Schwaller | January 30, 2019
Original article can be found at https://www.centralillinoisproud.com
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced Wednesday that nine health centers throughout Illinois have been awarded a total of $31,402,178 in federal funding through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program.
One of the nine is Heartland Community Health Clinic in Peoria. It is receiving $2,657,811.
These centers are community-based and patient-directed organizations that deliver comprehensive, culturally competent, high-quality primary health care services. Community health centers also often integrate access to pharmacy, mental health, substance abuse and oral health services in areas where economic, geographic, or cultural barriers limit access to affordable health care services.
“Community health centers serve a vital function across our state, providing affordable, comprehensive health care to more than one million Illinoisans every year,” said Durbin. “Federal investments in our health centers give them the certainty to plan for the future and continue providing health care to those in need. Senator Duckworth and I will continue fighting for these important federal funds.”
“Every Illinoisan, no matter their zip code, deserves the same access to quality health services,” Duckworth said. “This funding is critical to the health of our state and will help provide necessary, affordable care to thousands of families. Senator Durbin and I will keep supporting the federal funding that makes these important community health centers throughout our state possible.”
The following Illinois health centers will be awarded funding:
• Asian Human Services Family Health Center (Chicago, IL): $2,945,561
• Community Health Partnership of Illinois (Chicago, IL): $4,756,417
• Erie Family Health Center, Inc. (Chicago, IL): $7,624,707
• Lake County (Waukegan, IL): $4,687,749
• Hamdard Center For Health & Human Services (Addison, IL): $1,237,484
• Heartland Community Health Clinic (Peoria, IL): $2,657,811
• Henderson County Rural Health Center, Inc. (Oquawka, IL): $1,304,794
• Rural Health Link (Anna, IL): $2,490,495
• University of Illinois at Chicago (Chicago, IL): $3,697,160
Illinois community health centers currently provide primary health care services to approximately 1.4 million Illinois residents – including one out of every four Medicaid patients – at 48 health centers with 350 treatment sites in medically underserved areas. Illinois community health centers employ over 7,600 individuals, equaling a payroll of more than $508 million.
They also inject approximately $800 million in operating expenditures into their communities, resulting in an overall economic impact of $1.48 billion and overall employment of 11,700.
Over its 50 year history, the Health Center Program has grown from two community health centers to nearly 1,400 community health centers operating over 9,800 clinic sites in every U.S. state and territory. One in 13 people nationwide rely on a HRSA-funded community health center for their preventive and primary health care needs.
Share this Post