WASHINGTON -- The Community Action Agency of Columbiana County, Lisbon, has been awarded $379,167 in federal funds to expand access to health care.
The funds, awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administrations Health Center New Access Point grants, will create health center jobs and help more Ohioans access more affordable preventive care rather than rely on costly emergency room visits that often are billed to taxpayers, said U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).
“Community health centers play a vital role in Ohio’s health care system, reducing emergency room use and providing critical services to patients who otherwise would have no access to care,” Brown said. “These funds will allow the Community Action Agency of Columbiana County to expand their reach to more Ohioans across the Mahoning Valley and expand the range of services they provide.”
This grant is one of 219 awarded to community health centers across the nation that are expected to create 5,640 jobs and expand care to more than 1.25 million new patients, Brown said. In 2011, health centers employed more than 138,000 staff including 9,900 physicians, 6,900 nurse practitioners, physicians’ assistants, and certified nurse midwives, 11,800 nurses, 10,300 dental staff, 4,400 behavioral health staff; and more than 12,500 case managers, health education, outreach and transportation staff.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.