US Health & Human Services Dept. awards $786K to Hawaiʻi Community Health Centers

Today, during National Health Center Week, the US Department of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, awarded $786,000 in American Rescue Plan funding to 12 community health centers in Hawaiʻi to advance health equity through better data collection and reporting.

The funding includes $65,500 to Hāna Community Health Center; $65,500 to Molokaʻi ʻOhana Health Care, Inc.; $65,500 to Lānaʻi Community Health Center; and $65,500 to the Community Clinic of Maui, Inc., according to the Health Resources & Services Administration.

On Friday, Aug. 5, President Biden issued a proclamation on National Health Center Week to recognize the vital role health centers play in safeguarding the well-being of Americans and honor the heroic staff who keep these facilities running.

These awards will help strengthen efforts to eliminate inequities in COVID-19 care and outcomes within communities of color and other underserved populations.

The nearly $90 million in funding announced nationally today also builds on the $7.6 billion invested from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan to strengthen the health center workforce, renovate facilities, and equip them with essential COVID-19 medical supplies over the past year.

“We have prioritized advancing equity in our COVID-19 response and throughout all of our work,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra in a press release announcement. “Community health centers have played a pivotal role in the nation’s COVID-19 response, and now serve more than 30 million people across the country. Today’s investments will help ensure that all patients have equitable access to the high-quality health care they deserve.”

Funding supports a data modernization effort aimed at better identifying and responding to the specific needs of patients and communities through improved data quality; advancing COVID-19 response, mitigation, and recovery efforts; and helping prepare for future public health emergencies. 

The nearly 1,400 HRSA-funded community health centers in this country serve as a national source of primary care in underserved communities. They are community-based and patient-directed organizations that deliver affordable, accessible, and high-quality medical, dental, and behavioral health services to more than 30 million patients each year, with specific initiatives intended to reach people experiencing homelessness, agricultural workers, and residents of public housing. 

View an interactive map of today’s award recipients, including a state-by-state breakdown here.