Menendez, Booker Announce $2.5 mil. in ACA Funding to Expand Access to Quality, Affordable Health Care

Press Release

U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) today announced that four Community Health Centers in New Jersey will share more than $2.5 million in funding from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to expand access to quality, affordable health care for more than 17,000 New Jerseyans.

"New Jersey's network of community health centers is one of the best in the nation, providing health care services to over 475,000 people across our state." said Sen. Menendez. "Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, this new investment will help ensure more families -- regardless of income -- will be able to receive the quality health care services they need."

"Today's awards will help provide access to quality affordable healthcare to more New Jerseyans in communities across our state -- through direct medical care and by helping more people sign up for the new health insurance exchanges," Sen. Booker said. "Not only will it improve the health outcomes of countless people, this investment will also help save taxpayer money, with more people accessing care earlier, instead of showing up in emergency rooms with serious illnesses."

With these new funds, four health centers will expand their services to provide health care to thousands of additional patients. In addition to offering expanded access to quality primary health care services Community health center staff are able to provide unbiased information to consumers about health insurance, the new Health Insurance Marketplace, qualified health plans, and Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program.

New Jersey has 20 federally qualified health centers operating 125 sites in 20 counties. They provide preventive and primary health care services to approximately 477,000 individuals. Health Center grantees in New Jersey have received some $70 million in funding under the Affordable Care Act to support ongoing health center operations, establish new health center sites, expand services, and support major capital improvement projects.

Today's announcement provides four New Jersey health centers with awards totaling $2,541,666. Together these health centers will be able to serve more than 17,000 additional patients. Specifically:

- $758,333 to Community Health Inc in Bridgeton, NJ. Community Health will expand into Woodbury, in the northeastern portion of Gloucester County, taking over an existing Family Medical Center which will provide more accessible services to 6,500 new patients.It will provide primary medical services including: Family Medicine, Pediatrics, OB/GYN, Internal Medicine and on-site specialty care. Dental and Mental health services will be provided through referral. This service area includes nearly 25,000 low-income residents below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty level, 85 percent of whom are not connected to affordable health care services.
- $358,333 to Henry J. Austin Health Center, Inc. in Trenton, NJ. Henry J. Austin Health Center (HJAHC) will use this grant to expand the full complement of health care services to 3,500 additional patients. This expansion is part of a joint venture with Capital Health System and allows HJAHC to expand access to can into new areas of Trenton.
- $733,333 to Ocean Health Initiatives Inc. in Lakewood, NJ. Ocean will use these funds to expand health services in Manchester Township, providing critical primary care services to more than 3,800 new patients. The new site will focus on their family practice, but it will also service as a portal to the center's other sites when additional services are needed.
- $691,667 to Zufall Health Center, Inc. in Dover, NJ. Zufall Health Center will use this grant funding to add a new permanent satellite site in a densely populated, low-income section of West Orange, NJ. The planned site will have six exam rooms hosting primary medical care for adults and children as well as two dental facilities. The new site will also offer a range of behavioral health services. Thanks to this new funding, the center will be able to serve an additional 3,743 patients with medical, dental and behavioral health service in just the first full year of operation.

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