Federal funding will assist community health centers in Mississippi.
$17.25 million will be shared by 19 community health centers across the state as the COVID-19 outbreak continues. The funding comes as a result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) which was passed by Congress in late March. The historic legislation provides $1.32 billion in supplemental funding to community health centers in the U.S.
The funding was announced by Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, who stressed the importance of these health centers in the midst of the pandemic.
“Mississippi community health centers are on the front lines of testing and treating patients for COVID-19. As this disease affects more Mississippians, the pressure on these centers will only increase,” Hyde-Smith said. “These grants represent an initial distribution of federal funding to support their work in these challenging times.”
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) approved the CARES Act health center funding to help improve access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable.
HRSA awarded the following health center grants to Mississippi:
- Family Health Care Clinic, Inc., Pearl – $1,854,410
- Central Mississippi Civic Improvement Association, Inc., Jackson – $1,794,665
- Coastal Family Health Center, Inc., Biloxi – $1,445,165
- Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative, Inc., Hattiesburg – $1,311,050
- Family Health Center, Inc., Laurel – $864,335
- G.A. Carmichael Family Health Center, Inc., Canton – $844,985
- Aaron E. Henry Community Health Services Center, Inc., Clarksdale – $828,710
- North Mississippi Primary Health Center, Inc., Ashland – $815,675
- Delta Health Center, Inc., Mound Bayou – $806,270
- Jefferson Comprehensive Health Center, Inc., Fayette – $751,265
- Greater Meridian Health Clinic, Inc., Meridian – $743,795
- Northeast Mississippi Health Clinic, Inc., Byhalia – $779,485
- East Central Mississippi Health Care, Inc., Sebastopol – $695,600
- Access Family Health Services, Inc., Smithville – $672,695
- Dr. Arenia C. Mallory Community Health Center, Inc., Lexington – $656,885
- Central Mississippi Health Services, Inc., Jackson – $628,445
- Mantachie Rural Health Care Inc., Mantachie – $594,320
- Amite County Medical Services, Inc., Liberty – $588,440
- Claiborne County Family Health Center, Port Gibson – $ 583,145
TOTAL: $17,259,320
The CARES Act, as well as earlier COVID-19 response legislation, also adds support for community health centers to expand access to telemedicine services. Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over HRSA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, worked to secure these provisions.
The CARES Act funding is in addition to $1.43 million provided by HRSA on March 24 to these Mississippi health centers to prepare to handle COVID-19 cases. These early grants were funded through the initial COVID-19 relief emergency supplemental appropriations bill enacted in early March.
