JACKSON, Miss. – Four community health centers in the state received a total of $3,746,085 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for much needed upgrades and expansions. This will allow these centers to serve more people and offer more services, from primary to preventative care.
Amite County Medical Services in Liberty is awarded $796, 875; Central Mississippi Civic Improvement Association in Jackson, $1,000,000; Greater Meridian Health Clinic, Meridian $985, 210; Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative, Hattiesburg, $964,000.
With these funds, nearly 6,000 underserved patients will gain healthcare access.
Mississippi Primary Health Care Association (MPHCA) CEO, Janice Sherman, states, “We are truly excited to see these much needed resources to aid health centers in improving facilities that provide quality care to underserved residents in Mississippi!”
Mr. Wilbert Jones, CEO of Greater Meridian Health Clinic, Inc. is using the funds to expand the Oktibbeha Family Medical Center in Starkville, MS. “The award is an awesome opportunity to improve our facilities and give our patients a modern and safe healthcare facility to visit,” said Mr. Jones. “It gives us the ability to upgrade necessary medical equipment to enhance our ability to better care for our patients.”
Rep. Greg Harper (MS-3) says, “Community health clinics provide valuable health services for families in small communities,” said Rep. Harper. “These awards will help improve health services in communities where access to health care coverage is limited. Improving health care in Mississippi is a top priority of mine, and it is encouraging that community health clinics across the state have been awarded funding by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to increase capacity or renovate existing structures, so that they can continue to provide needed health care to thousands of Mississippians.”
Overall the funding for MS-CHCs is a part of a total nationwide grant from the Department of Health and Human Services. HHS released a statement, Today, HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced over $260 million in funding to 290 health centers in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico for facility renovation, expansion, or construction. Health centers will use this funding to increase their patient capacity and to provide additional comprehensive primary and preventive health services to medically underserved populations.
