Community Health Centers Receive Funding

N.J. HEALTH DEPARTMENT RELEASE:
COURT HOUSE — Two New Jersey community health centers have been awarded federal funding to increase and improve health and support services to better serve patients.  Community Health Care Inc. and the Jewish Renaissance Medical Center received a total of $741, 503 in federal funding to increase mental health and substance abuse services, to boost outreach, transportation, case management, and to expand oral health and pharmacy services.
“New Jersey’s health care safety net must remain strong during this economic downturn,’’ said Governor Jon S. Corzine. “It is reassuring to know that New Jersey has a true partner in Washington dedicated to improving accessibility of health care.’’
 
The centers awarded funding are part of a statewide network of  20 community health centers—with a total of  93 sites—that provide high quality primary and preventive health services to their surrounding communities with an emphasis on patients who are either uninsured, enrolled in NJ FamilyCare or recipients of Medicaid and Medicare. More than 300,000 patients received care in community health centers last year, and because of the economy, the centers are expecting to see an increase in patients of between 3 and 4 percent.
 
“This funding will boost these health centers’ ability to provide critical medical care to thousands of patients,’’ said Health and Senior Services Commissioner Heather Howard.
 
Katherine Grant-Davis, President and CEO of the New Jersey Primary Care Association, the trade association that oversees the work of the health centers in New Jersey, said it is “gratifying to see this level of commitment from the federal government so that we can ensure that citizens have access to accessible primary and preventive health care. The Obama administration has recognized the quality work performed by FQHCs and has taken steps to increase the number of centers to expand services.”
 
Community Health Care Inc., which serves Cumberland, Cape May and Gloucester counties, received more than $600,000 in grant funding.
 
“The impact of this Community Health investment will be a new Dental Health Center in Millville, added mental health services at health centers in Bridgeton, Vineland and Millville and additional health outreach activities throughout the counties it serves,” said Gil Walter, President and CEO of Community Health Care Inc.
 
“We anticipate using the supplemental funding to provide Dental and Mental Health services to more than 1,500 new health underserved adults and children annually and to reach an additional 2,500 migrant workers and other uninsured persons in South Jersey with health fairs, screenings and health information and promotion activities over the next 16 months,” Walter said.
 
Jewish Renaissance Medical Center, located in Perth Amboy, received $75,000 in federal funding.
 
“This funding will allow Jewish Renaissance Medical Center to serve more people, enhance health services, and specifically focus on providing more children with an early start to high quality  healthcare through expansion of School Based Health Services,” said Mark Roberts, CEO of Jewish Renaissance Medical Center.