NH Delegation Announces New Hampshire Community Health Centers to Receive $6.8 Million for Coronavirus Response Through CARES Act

(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a negotiator of the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) announced that New Hampshire community health centers have been awarded $6.8 million in additional funding to support their response to COVID-19. The funding comes from the CARES Act, which was recently passed by Congress and signed into law. Earlier today, Senators Shaheen and Hassan held calls with community health centers in New Hampshire to discuss the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and areas of urgent need.

Funds in this announcement come in addition to the $1.25 billion in aid that the new law provides to compensate New Hampshire for COVID-19 response efforts, the $147 million for schools, transit, law enforcement, child care, low-income heating and other needs that the Delegation announced last week, and the $11.7 million to improve access to affordable housing and bolster community services announced last Thursday.

“Community health centers play a critical role in responding to this pandemic and deliver essential and affordable health care to thousands of Granite Staters, especially those living in rural communities,” said Senator Shaheen. “Today, I held conversations with the leadership of New Hampshire community health centers and the message I received was loud and clear: ‘we need help and we need it fast.’ I’m glad these funds have been awarded so quickly, and I’ll keep calling for more resources to assist New Hampshire health care providers and medical workers as they respond to this crisis. ”

“Community Health Centers are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, working day in and day out to keep vulnerable Granite Staters and Americans healthy and safe,” said Senator Hassan. “These federal grants, which are a result of the bipartisan CARES Act that Congress recently passed into law, will help provide critical resources to New Hampshire health centers. However, as I discussed today with leaders of Community Health Centers across our state, there is still more work to be done to support these centers and ensure that patients have access to quality, affordable health care. I will continue working with the rest of the New Hampshire Congressional Delegation to get additional resources and funding to those on the front lines to help combat this deadly virus and protect public health.”

“Community health centers in New Hampshire play a crucial role in our state’s collective response to the COVID-19 outbreak,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “This funding through the CARES Act provides much-needed relief and support to health centers as they work to ensure Granite Staters get the care they need throughout this crisis. As Congress continues to respond to this pandemic, I will work to secure long-term funding for our health centers in future legislation. I’ll continue to work with our delegation to ensure health care workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic have the necessary support and resources.”

“The coronavirus pandemic has placed an incredible strain on our health care system,” said Congressman Pappas. “Ensuring that our state has the full weight of the federal government’s response behind us is critical, and these funds will help us bolster our response and provide badly needed resources to health care providers and frontline workers caring for those in need. We must continue to press for additional resources in a whole-of-government response so Granite Staters can access care and our health care system can weather this unprecedented storm.”

“During this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, our Health Centers are grateful for Senators Hassan and Shaheen’s steadfast leadership in Congress as demonstrated by how they favorably influenced and shaped the three stimulus packages to include essential resources for our state and for its most vulnerable populations,” said Tess Kuenning, President and CEO Bi-State Primary Care Association. “The announcement of emergency resources for our Health Centers will allow them to continue to provide quality patient care for those most in need of services. The Senators recognize the value of our New Hampshire Health Centers as central to our states response to the COVID-19 pandemic providing essential primary care and public health services.”

Here is a breakdown of the $6.8 million awarded to New Hampshire community health centers by the Department of Health and Human Services:

• Ammonoosuc Community Health Services (Littleton, Franconia & Whitefield) – $693,410
• Amoskeag Health (Manchester) – $829,895
• Coos County Family Health Services (Berlin, Gorham & Groveton) – $714,980
• Greater Seacoast Community Health (Somersworth & Portsmouth) – $829,910
• Harbor Homes (Nashua) – $561,995
• Indian Stream Health Center (Colebrook) – $570,950
• Lamprey Health Care (Nashua, Raymond & Newmarket) – $838,580
• Mid-State Health Center (Bristol & Plymouth) – $698,705
• Healthfirst Family Care Center (Laconia & Franklin) – $591,455
• City of Manchester – $541,415

The New Hampshire delegation has been working to deliver urgently needed assistance to New Hampshire medical workers and health care providers as the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved. Senator Shaheen previously called for robust funding for community health centers during negotiations leading up to the passage of the CARES Act. She also called for community health centers to be able to bill Medicare for telehealth services – a provision successfully included in the legislation.

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