During National Health Center Week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services granted $30 million to 151 HRSA-funded health centers through the Health Resources and Services Administration. This investment is meant to enhance developmental outcomes in children aged 0-5 by increasing screenings and follow-up services, according to an Aug. 9 news release.
“Health centers provide young children with developmental disabilities in our highest need communities with the support they need to succeed," HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in the release. "This National Health Center Week, we recognize and thank health centers and their staff for their continued dedication to underserved communities.”
These health centers, serving more than 30 million people nationwide, will utilize the funding to expand early childhood services, address developmental needs and bolster the success of young children, the release said. Congress is asked to sustain and grow the federal investment in health centers before funding expires at the end of September.
“Health centers provide many kinds of support, including screening of young children and connecting them to appropriate services," Becerra added, according to the release. "We urge Congress to fund health centers in a sustainable way, so more Americans benefit from this support.”
The announcement is a part of the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to providing young children with high-quality care and making sure they get off to the best start possible, the release said. For more than 30 million people nationwide, health centers are a crucial source of primary care.
In communities around the nation with the greatest need, health clinics offer crucial preventative and basic care services, according to the release. The funds will be used by health centers to improve and increase the accessibility of early childhood services, which are essential for closing gaps in school readiness and raising children's chances of success.
To assist crucial activities like fulfilling the developmental needs of young children, President Joe Biden's budget called for renewing and increasing the federal investment in health centers, the release said. Patients at health centers financed by HRSA largely have nice things to say, according to recently released HRSA survey results.
The findings highlight the necessity of addressing the Health Center Program's funding cliff before the program's required money runs out Sept. 30. In terms of patient happiness and experiences, health centers consistently reach or exceed national quality criteria, the release reported.
Regardless of their patients' financial situation, health centers offer comprehensive, top-notch basic healthcare services that are tailored to their communities. The HRSA Health Center Program is a pillar of our nation's health care system, especially for people and families who lack insurance; are on Medicaid; reside in rural, remote or underserved areas; are struggling to pay their health insurance co-pays; are homeless; live in public housing; or face other challenges in accessing healthcare or paying for it, the release said.
