Southwest Georgia health centers among 32 in state to receive HHS funding

ALBANY — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced on Thursday that health centers in Georgia would receive roughly $2.06 million to invest in health center quality improvement efforts, and to provide quality comprehensive care.

Among the recipients are centers based in Albany, Cordele, Blakely and Ocilla.

The state saw 32 awards, which are expected to be used to expand current quality improvement systems and infrastructure, and to improve primary care service delivery in the communities they serve.

“Millions of Americans rely on health centers to provide them with quality health care,” said HHS Acting Deputy Secretary Mary Wakefield. “These quality improvement awards will support health centers to continue to deliver superior health care that engages patients, improves care coordination and bridges overall access to care.”

Albany Area Primary Health Care received the third-largest award in Georgia at $127,640.

“Albany Area Primary Health Care is grateful to be named as one of the organizations receiving these important funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,” said AAPHC CEO Shelley Spires. “Our organization is the one and only Community Health Center for our Southwest Georgia community, and our mission is to provide high-quality health care for all of our area’s residents.

“These funds are critical to our organization so that we continue to support our community members, especially those who are uninsured or underinsured. Everyone deserves to be able to see a physician or schedule a pediatrician appointment for their child when they are ill. These funds ensure that we are able to continue providing so many important health care services, as well as add additional services that our patients need for the future.”

Primary Health Care of Southwest Georgia in Blakely received $91,582; South Central Primary Care Center in Ocilla received $56,957, and Southwest Georgia Health Care in Cordele received $77,811.

Health centers are receiving these funds based upon high levels of performance in improving quality of care, advancing health equity, maintaining patient-centered medical home recognition, enhancing access to care and delivering value, officials with HHS said.

Officials said the money came from the Affordable Care Act’s Community Health Center Fund, which was extended through the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015.

“Health centers are evaluated on a set of performance measures emphasizing health outcomes and the value of care delivered,” said Health Resources and Services Administration acting administrator Jim Macrae. “These measures provide a balanced, comprehensive look at services to manage conditions among the vulnerable populations served by health centers.”

Officials with the HHS said that more than $100 million was awarded to 1,304 health centers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and seven territories for quality improvement efforts. Nearly 1,400 health centers operating more than 9,800 sites provide care to more than 24 million people in every U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Pacific Basin.

Today, health centers employ nearly 190,000 people.

For a list of all grant recipients, visit bphc.hrsa.gov/programopportunities/qualityimprovement/fy16awards/.