HHS Awards
Nearly $60 million to Support Community Health Centers Impacted by
Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) awarded nearly $60 million to 161 community health
centers in six southern states and two U.S. territories that were
impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Administered by the
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Capital
Assistance for Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts (CARE)
funding will help ensure continued access to primary health care
services at community health centers in areas affected by the
hurricanes.
“Health centers serve as lifelines to services and
networks of resources in their communities every day, and
especially during a crisis,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “These
grants build on other HHS investments to ensure that health centers
can continue to serve communities impacted by Hurricanes Harvey,
Irma, and Maria, and strengthen their readiness to respond to the
needs of the community after future hurricanes or other disasters.”
This funding was made available by the Bipartisan Budget Act,
signed by President Trump in February. CARE offers capital
assistance and support for minor alteration, renovation and
equipment costs to assist impacted HRSA-funded health centers
providing services in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, South
Carolina and Texas as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands.
“In the aftermath of the hurricanes, we granted
affected health centers flexibility in the use of HRSA funds to
ensure continuity of services and assist in recovery efforts,” said
HRSA Administrator George Sigounas, MS, Ph.D. “This funding is the
latest in HRSA’s efforts to support these communities as they
continue to recover.”
For more than 50 years, health centers have delivered
affordable, accessible, quality and cost-effective primary health
care services to patients. Today, nearly 1,400 health centers
operate more than 11,000 service delivery sites nationwide.
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