Health centers today received exciting news: the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced over $6 billion in funding to community health centers (CHCs) nationwide under the American Rescue Plan. 56 FQHC 330 grantee organizations in Los Angeles will receive more than $267 million in funding.
According to whitehouse.gov, the $6 billion investment into CHCs will expand vaccinations, testing, and treatment; deliver preventive and primary health care services to people at higher risk for the virus; and expand health centers’ operational capacity during the pandemic and beyond, including modifying and improving physical infrastructure and adding mobile units.
These one-time, two-year funds couldn’t come at a more critical time. Recent analysis by Capitol Link found that from April to December 2020, California’s health centers experienced $1.4 billion in lost revenue and pandemic-related costs. The American Rescue Plan funds will be an essential bridge to help health centers through the pandemic.
HRSA will provide funding starting in April. LA community clinics are on the frontlines of the pandemic, caring for the county’s most impacted communities. CHCs serve 1.7 million patients annually, 80% of whom have low incomes. Nearly 75,000 patients experience homelessness and 94% are publicly insured or uninsured. CCALAC applauds the Biden Administration for this vital investment into CHCs.
THE COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CCALAC) is the largest regional association of community clinics and health centers in California. Founded in 1994, CCALAC has 64 members that serve nearly 1.7 million patients throughout LA County. CCALAC is dedicated to serving and representing the interests of its member clinics as providers of quality health care, including medical, dental and pharmacy services. For more information about CCALAC, visit www.ccalac.org or call (213) 201-6500.
Contact: Taryn Burks – Communications Specialist, (213) 201-6529.