NEW Health will be awarded $2.3 million from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) appropriated by the American Rescue Plan Act.
The funding, which will be awarded to health centers that are current Health Center Program operational (H80) grant award recipients, is designated to expand COVID-19 vaccinations, testing, and treatment for vulnerable populations; deliver preventive and primary health care services to people at higher risk for COVID-19; and expand health centers’ operational capacity during the pandemic and beyond, including modifying and improving physical infrastructure and adding mobile units.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic NEW Health has adapted and evolved their services to provide the greatest possible care to patients and community members. NEW Health expanded their capacity to conduct telehealth visits, adopted new cleaning protocols, acquired a large stock of PPE supplies, and opened two COVID testing sites as well as two COVID vaccination sites.
The funding is massively important to the continued success and expansion of care provided at the health center. “We really want to thank those who supported this bill and made it a reality,” said NEW Health CEO Jim Luisi. “This money will help us recoup losses experienced during the pandemic and allow us to expand our ability to care for our patients.”
Health centers have played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic by taking burden off of the hospitals bombarded with COVID-19 patients, operating at the front line of testing and vaccination, and caring for underserved communities most affected by COVID-19.
