Xavier Becerra United States Secretary of Health and Human Services | Official Website
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), has awarded nearly $9 million to 18 HRSA-funded health centers to enhance access to cancer screenings in underserved communities. This initiative, announced during National Health Center Week, aims to promote early cancer detection, connect individuals to screening services, and provide assistance in accessing cancer care and treatment.
Health centers will collaborate directly with National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Centers to expedite patient access to necessary care. These awards support the Biden Cancer Moonshot mission, which aims to prevent 4 million cancer deaths by 2047 and significantly reduce the incidence of cancer.
“HHS supports efforts to help people live longer, healthier lives. That’s why we are doing all we can to make cancer prevention and screening services accessible to all Americans,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The funding for health centers announced today is another step towards reducing health disparities across races, ethnicities, genders, and incomes—which is essential to realizing the President’s goal of ending cancer as we know it.”
President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden reignited the Cancer Moonshot two years ago with goals of decreasing the cancer death rate by at least 50% over 25 years and improving the experience of those affected by cancer. The administration has emphasized the importance of cancer screening since more than 10 million screenings were missed during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“No matter where you live or what resources you have, everyone should be able to benefit from the tools we have to detect, diagnose and treat cancer before it’s too late,” said HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson. “HRSA is proud to increase our investment in partnerships between our health centers and cancer centers to improve access to life-saving cancer prevention in communities that have been underserved for too long.”
Cancer remains the second-leading cause of death in the United States, with approximately 600,000 deaths annually. Early detection through appropriate screening and timely follow-up care can significantly improve patient outcomes. However, disparities persist in these areas among different income levels, insurance statuses, and racial or ethnic backgrounds.
Today's awards build on previous HRSA investments: $11 million in 2023 and $5 million in 2022 as part of the Biden Cancer Moonshot.
HRSA's Health Center Program plays a crucial role in providing healthcare services for uninsured individuals, Medicaid enrollees, rural or underserved populations, those struggling with co-pays or homelessness, public housing residents, or those having difficulty finding a doctor or affording care.
To locate an HRSA-supported health center: https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov
The Fiscal Year 2024 Accelerating Cancer Screening awardees include:
- Operation Samahan Inc., National City CA: $500,000
- WellSpace Health Sacramento CA: $500,000
- Centro de Salud de la Comunidad de San Ysidro Inc., San Diego CA: $500,000
- Denver Health and Hospitals Authority Denver CO: $500,000
- Healthlinc Inc., Valparaiso IN: $500,000
- Bronx Community Health Network Inc., Bronx NY: $500,000
- Sunset Park Health Council Inc., Brooklyn NY: $500,000
- The Institute for Family Health New York NY: $500,000
- Lower Lights Christian Health Center Inc., Columbus OH: $500
