Murphy, Community Health Center, Inc. Of New Britain Announce Federal Grant To Increase Services To Meet Needs Of Uninsured

Press Release

Today, Congressman Chris Murphy (CT-5) and leaders of Community Health Center Inc. announced that the Community Health Center of New Britain (CHC-New Britain) will receive a large federal grant, $562,500, from the Obama Administration to increase medical services to uninsured and underinsured patients. This federal grant will fund CHC-New Britain's Expanded Medical Capacity (EMC) project, which targets approximately 3,000 uninsured, low income and publicly insured residents of New Britain who lack a medical home.

"Community health centers like CHC-New Britain fill a critical void in our health care system, caring for some of the most vulnerable who lack health insurance. This grant is a signal that the Obama Administration not only recognizes the health care crisis we are facing, but is dealing with it by supporting the centers that face this problem every day," said Murphy.

"This grant will increase health care access for up to 3,000 of our most vulnerable patients to the medical, dental and behavioral health services of Community Health Care, Inc. (CHC)," said Mark Masselli, president and CEO of CHC.

"The grant will also help fund three new primary care providers and related health-care team members in our new 20,000-square-foot addition, in addition to an array of education and support services that will address identified health disparities," said Masselli. "We want to thank Congressman Murphy and the entire Connecticut delegation in Washington who championed this cause and made it all happen."

This funding is part of more than $70 million released by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to expand medical services at 54 health centers nationwide. In tough economic times like these, the funding is critical in helping to provide health care to an increasing population of uninsured and underinsured patients. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, in a typical year about 40 percent of health center patients have no insurance.

In 2007, CHC-New Britain served 10,087 low-income, minority and linguistically/culturally isolated residents of the city of New Britain and surrounding areas. Most received primary care; the rest received dental, mental health and/or social services. Right now, CHC-New Britain is in the process of doubling the size of their facility. The two-story renovation/expansion will add 20,000 square feet of clinic space, almost all devoted to medical services, to the existing facility.

Statewide, Community Health Centers take care of 73,000 patients at 12 core sites and in more than 140 schools and other locations. Founded in 1972 by community activists as a walk-up clinic in Middletown, it is now the largest health center in Connecticut.

In addition to the EMC grant provided to CHC-New Britain., community health centers throughout Connecticut will be eligible to receive a portion of the $622,000 made available through HHS to assist them in maintaining current service levels.

"This funding is a critical first step in health care reform, and I stand ready to help the Obama Administration as we craft health care reform legislation this summer that lowers costs and covers more people," said Murphy.

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