{"id":112983,"date":"2021-04-27T17:55:16","date_gmt":"2021-04-27T17:55:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fin2me.com\/?p=112983"},"modified":"2021-04-27T17:55:16","modified_gmt":"2021-04-27T17:55:16","slug":"community-health-centers-to-get-1-billion-to-become-state-of-the-art-facilities-improve-equity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fin2me.com\/politics\/community-health-centers-to-get-1-billion-to-become-state-of-the-art-facilities-improve-equity\/","title":{"rendered":"Community health centers to get $1 billion to become ‘state-of-the-art’ facilities, improve equity"},"content":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON\u00a0\u2013 Hundreds of community health centers across the country can begin applying for a share of $1 billion in new funding for major construction and renovation projects, the Biden administration announced Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Department of Health and Human Services, which provided the information first to USA TODAY, said the funding will help meet President Joe Biden’s goal of improving equity in battling COVID-19 and in providing\u00a0health care services generally.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0nation\u2019s nearly 1,400 federally-funded health centers\u00a0disproportionately benefit underserved communities, such as\u00a0the poor, minorities and people living in rural areas.<\/p>\n
Those centers already received\u00a0more than $6 billion from the federal government to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines, testing and treatment for vulnerable populations. Both types of funding\u00a0were included in the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package approved in March.<\/p>\n
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A community health care center in Florida. (Photo: Andrew B. Innerarity, USA TODAY)<\/span><\/p>\n The latest round of grants\u00a0can be used to build new facilities, renovate or expand existing ones, and to purchase equipment\u00a0\u2013 creating what\u00a0HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said will be “state-of-the-art” facilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAs the pandemic has made clear, modernizing the physical infrastructure of many of our country\u2019s health centers is long overdue,\u201d Becerra said in a statement.<\/p>\n Health centers have until June 24 to apply for the funding.<\/p>\n