U.S. Rep. Ron Barber Welcomes $900,000 Grant to Chiricahua Health Centers

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Ron Barber today welcomed a $900,000 federal grant awarded to Douglas-based Chiricahua Community Health Centers to expand access to health care.

"Community health centers such as Chiricahua provide critically important care to people in rural areas of Cochise County," Barber said today. "This new funding will allow Chiricahua to expand its services and provide its high-quality health care to even more people."

Chiricahua Community Health Centers has four clinics in Douglas, Bisbee and Elfrida as well as a mobile medical clinic that travels to Sierra Vista and Huachuca City. Chiricahua also has a mobile dental unit that provides services to adults and children in the Sulphur Springs Valley.

"I appreciate Congressman Barber's continuing support for our work and for assisting us in obtaining this crucial funding," said Gary McPherran, chief financial officer of Chiricahua Community Health Centers. "This funding will play an important role as we continue providing excellent health care to the people of Cochise County."

In addition to medical and dental services, Chiricahua offers prenatal and pediatric care, a well-woman health check, a chronic disease management program, as well as free classes and a community garden.

The $900,000 grant to Chiricahua is one of five made today to health centers in Arizona. The Arizona grants, which total nearly $3.6 million, will provide care to an additional 39,381 people. Last year, community health centers in Arizona served more than 423,000 people.

Other Arizona grants were made to health centers in Casa Grande, Apache Junction, Flagstaff and Scottsdale.

The $150 million in grants nationwide to 236 health center programs that were announced today are part of the Affordable Care Act's plan to expand access to high-quality health care for all Americans.

Nationwide, approximately 1,200 health centers operate more than 9,000 service delivery sites that provide care to more than 21 million patients in every state. Since the beginning of 2009, health centers have added 4 million patients and more than 35,000 full-time positions.

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