The Greater Lawrence Family Health Center (GLFHC) has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) totaling $2,918,871.00.
Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, a strong advocate for Community Health Centers, wrote several letters in support of the GLFHC’s grant applications.
Today, Dr. Joseph W. Gravel, Jr., Chief Medical Officer and Residency Director for the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center and Lawrence Family Medicine Residency, met with Congresswoman Tsongas in her Washington, D.C. office to further discuss the grant, the initiatives taking place at GLFHC and issues important to them.
“Here in the Third District I have seen so many families benefit from quality, affordable health care services offered by the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, and all our Community Health Centers. Support such as this bolsters the ability of these programs to continue helping countless Americans,” said Congresswoman Tsongas. “Our remarkable Community Health Centers and hospitals serve our neediest populations and have wide-reaching benefits that aid the public health of our communities. By using federal funds to partner with local communities and organizations, we help create jobs, address public needs and put the well-being of residents and local economies on a solid path.”
The funding will go towards supporting the GLFHC’s Community Health Centers, as well as their Healthcare for the Homeless programs in Lawrence and surrounding communities.
“Greater Lawrence Family Health Center is grateful for the continued support this federal funding provides,” said Robert Ingala, President and Chief Executive Officer of Greater Lawrence Family Health Center. “It will allow us to continue to support the mission and vision of GLFHC by providing high quality health care to the underserved and remaining a provider of choice in Greater Lawrence and throughout the Merrimack Valley.”
Last month, Community Health Centers across the country received support when President Obama signed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act. Congresswoman Tsongas voted in favor of the bill, and also was instrumental in including a provision that will directly impact the GLFHC.
Congresswoman Tsongas led a bipartisan effort to include the Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education program in the bill, which extended funding for Teaching Health Centers for another two years. Funding for Teaching Health Centers was set to expire this fall. Teaching Health Centers train primary care physicians who then go out to serve in low-income areas. The provision championed by Congresswoman Tsongas will allow these organizations to train more doctors and dentists and address a growing need nationwide. The current supply of primary care physicians is insufficient to meet the health needs of the American population. The Greater Lawrence Family Health Center is also home to the nation’s first Teaching Health Center.
In Massachusetts nearly 820,000 residents are served by 50 community health center organizations, including GLFHC, which operate nearly 300 community health center sites. Nationally, Community Health Centers serve more than 21 million patients and save our health care system an estimated $24 billion each year by providing targeted, community based care and access to preventive health services.
