June 03, 2019

Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $3 Million for Community Health Center in Southern Illinois

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded $3,806,663 to support Community Health & Emergency Services, Inc. in Carbondale through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program. Community health centers are community-based organizations that improve access to affordable, high-quality health care in underserved urban and rural communities by integrating primary health care with pharmacy, mental health, substance abuse and oral health services.

“Every Illinoisan, no matter their zip code, deserves the same access to quality health services,” Duckworth said. “This funding is critical for community health centers in Carbondale and across Illinois and will help provide necessary, affordable care to thousands of families. Senator Durbin and I will keep supporting these important community health centers throughout our state.”

“Community health centers serve a vital function across our state, providing affordable, comprehensive health care to more than one million Illinoisans every year. While invaluable everywhere, they are particularly critical for ensuring access to care in rural communities across our state,” Durbin said. “Senator Duckworth and I will continue fighting for these important federal funds to give health centers the certainty to plan for the future and continue providing care to those in need.”

“Community Health & Emergency Services, Inc. is pleased to learn that the grant which constitutes our main federal support is being renewed,” Frederick L. Bernstein, Chief Executive Officer of Community Health & Emergency Services, Inc., said. “This funding is the difference that makes being able to provide health care services to the poorest counties in Illinois possible. In several of the counties we serve, we offer the only primary health care, and many of our patients would likely not receive needed care were we not able to provide it. We are most grateful for the opportunity this represents to continue providing care to all those we serve.”

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.

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