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June 29, 2009 – Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson welcomed a White House announcement today that six Nebraska community health centers will receive $3.3 million in grants to address immediate facility and equipment needs through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
“These stimulus funds will put Nebraskans to work upgrading vital centers that provide medical and mental health care for Nebraskans who struggle to receive needed health services,” said Senator Nelson. “As access to health care has become harder for many Americans, our Nebraska community health centers provide crucial coverage to traditionally underserved areas and populations. These centers are helping many people live healthy and productive lives.”
The Recovery Act Capital Improvement Program (CIP) grants will support the construction, repair and renovation of over 1,500 health center sites nationwide. More than 650 centers will use the funds to purchase new equipment or health information technology (HIT) systems, and nearly 400 health centers will adopt and expand the use of electronic health records.
Recent studies show that two-thirds of the approximately 1,150 community health center organizations, who serve as front-line care providers across the country, have unmet capital needs and that most health centers are operating in aging buildings in desperate need of repair.
The following Nebraska centers will receive funds for capital improvements:
• Charles Drew Health Center, Inc., Omaha: $581,480
• East-Central District Health Department, Columbus: $471,410
• Norfolk Community Health care Clinic, Inc., Norfolk: $283,705
• One World Community Health Centers, Omaha: $825,855
• Panhandle Community Services, Inc., Gering: $503,505
• People’s Health Center, Lincoln: $572,035
Senator Nelson advocated including health infrastructure investments in the stimulus bill in December 2008 when he organized a group of Senators to write Senate leadership urging them to provide funding for community health centers. In negotiations over the stimulus bill, Nelson pushed for the $2 billion that was included in the final legislation.
Nelson also received the Distinguished Community Health Champion Award from the National Association of Community Health Centers recognizing his support and efforts to ensure the continued viability of these important health care providers.
The Nebraska Hospital Association has reported vacancy rates of 14.5 percent for occupational therapists, 12.3 percent for physical therapists, and 11.1 percent for medical laboratory technicians in the state’s local hospitals with radiology technologist and respiratory therapist shortages on the rise. In March, the six Nebraska community health centers also received more than $1.5 million in stimulus funds to hire additional staff to address these shortages.
Senator Nelson played a key role in the passage of the $787 billion stimulus bill. He worked with a bipartisan group of nearly 20 Senators to better focus The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on tax cuts for the middle class and job creation for millions of Americans. Senator Nelson led the group through the initial bill line by line, dollar by dollar, to reduce spending and cut out $108 billion of inefficient or less-stimulative spending. The bipartisan group helped the improved bill win congressional approval. President Obama signed it into law February 17, 2009. Senator Nelson is posting information about the release of stimulus finds on his website as it becomes available. Visit http://bennelson.senate.gov/feature_4.cfm for more information.
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