Recovery Act (ARRA): Community Health Centers

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides $2 billion to be invested in Community Health Centers, an unprecedented opportunity to serve more patients, stimulate new jobs, and meet the significant increase in demand for primary health care services among the Nation's uninsured and underserved populations. In 2009-2010 the Recovery Act (ARRA) funding will be invested in Community Health Centers to support critically needed health care services, renovations and repairs and investments in health information technology.

Recovery Act Funding for Community Health Centers
Grantees for all Community Health Center programs are listed by State or Territory.

• Capital Improvement Program (CIP). On June 29, 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama announced the release of $851 million in Recovery Act grants to upgrade and expand Community Health Centers and open their doors to more patients. A total of 2,617 projects have received a total of $342 million.
  • News Release
  • Remarks by the First Lady 

• Increased Demand for Community Health Center Services (IDS). On March 27, 2009 HHS released $338 million in Recovery Act grants to expand services offered by Community Health Centers and enable them to serve more patients, as more Americans join the ranks of the uninsured. A total of 2,617 projects have received a total of $853 million.
  • News Release
  • Grants by State
  • Map of Grants in Each State
  • List of Grantees by State

• New Access Points. On March 2, 2009, President Barack Obama announced the release of $155 million in Recovery Act grants to support 126 Community Health Centers across the country. These New Access Point grants alone will help provide health services to 750,000 Americans and create 5,500 jobs. A total of 127 awards have been made, receiving a total of $156 million.
  • Grants by State
  • Map of Grants in Each State

• Facilities Investment Program.On December 9, President Obama announced nearly $600 million dollars to support construction and renovation projects at health centers in 30 states, enabling them to serve an estimated 500,000 additional patients. A total of 184 grants have been made, totaling $640 million, including $120 million to expand health information technology.
  • News Release

Key Facts about Community Health Centers

One of every 19 people living in the U.S. now relies on a HRSA-funded clinic for primary care.

• • More than 1,100 health center grant recipients operate 7,900 service delivery sites that provide care to nearly 19 million patients in every state and territory.
  • HRSA-supported health centers treated nearly 19 million people in 2009.
  • Nearly forty percent of patients treated have no health insurance and one-third are children

Community Health Centers: Engines of Economic Growth

Community Health Centers are a key source of local employment and economic growth in many underserved and low-income communities. 

• • Community Health Centers support over 123,000 jobs, including physicians, nurses, dentists, and other health professionals; leveraging more than $9 billion in needed health services.
    
  • According to a recent study, Community Health Centers:
    • Injected $7.3 billion of operating expenditures directly into their local economies;
    • Produced additional indirect economic activity of $5.3 billion; and
    • Created an estimated additional 53,000 jobs for the community.

Increasing Access and Expanding Available Services 

For more than four decades, the U.S. Department  of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has provided grant support for Health Centers that provide high-quality preventive and primary health care to medically underserved residents in cities and isolated rural areas. 

Today, Community Health Centers provide more comprehensive services than ever before. Services include pharmacy, mental health, substance abuse and oral health treatment, as well as supportive services that promote access to health care and ensure patient well-being.

• • In 2009, almost 3.4 million patients received dental services.
  • 758,000 patients came to health centers for behavioral health care. 
  • Additionally, 92,000 patients made 916,000 visits to health centers for substance abuse treatment.

Recovery Act Implementation Plans

• • Health Centers - Services (PDF - 63.14 KB)
  • Health Centers - Construction, Renovation and Equipment, and Health Information Technology (PDF - 99.73 KB)