MPCA News

Hhs Awards $1.56 Million For Health Centers In Montana

Libby’s New Community Health Center

HRSA recently announced grants worth almost $125 million to help health centers increase access to health care for low-income and uninsured Americans and $55 million to expand medical capacity at 132 existing health centers. Four communities in Montana received funding to improve access to primary and preventive care services to uninsured and underserved populations. Havre and Helena received funding to develop new access points and Libby and Ashland received grants to expand medical capacity in existing Community Health Centers.

In 2002, the President launched the health center initiative aimed to significantly increase access to primary health care services in 1,200 communities by creating new or supporting expanded health center sites. With the latest round of grant funding, HHS will have funded more than 1,100 new or expanded health centers which will increase the number of patients served to an estimated 14.8 million. By delivering primary care and preventive care to patients regardless of their ability to pay, health centers are a major component of America’s health care safety net. In 2005, Montana’s health centers served 76,520 patients or 1 in every 12 Montanans; fifty-five percent of these patients were uninsured and 84% had incomes under 200% of poverty. The two HRSA grants will provide new access points for Montana’s uninsured and vulnerable populations as well as enable two rural CHCs to expand primary care and preventive services.

A community consortium in Havre has been working since 2003 to improve access to care and better coordinate health services in the community. The new HRSA access point grant funds will allow them to expand services at the Bullhook Community Health Center which was started with a HRSA Healthy Communities Access Planning grant (HCAP). One of the main goals of the HCAP grant was to improve service integration between the hospital, health department and other health providers in the community.

Cindy Smith, Director of the Bullhook Clinic and the Director of the Hill County Health Department, was pleased to receive the announcement, stating, “This funding will enable us to provide high quality health care for the uninsured and underinsured in our community. The grant will bring better access to mental health and dental services as well as primary medical care services. We will be able to continue the good work we’ve started—many people in the community have worked hard to make this happen.”

The Federal grant will allow Cooperative Health Center in Helena to work with the Lincoln community to re-open the Parker Medical Center which was closed in April 2005, in part due to increasing number of patients lacking adequate health insurance. The $338,200 includes $150,000 for remodeling the clinic and funding for a new full-time physician, part-time dentist, mental-health counselor, nurse and receptionist. Cooperative Health Center Executive Director Kate McIvor said, “The grant will provide a reliable source of operating funds for the clinic and the money allows the clinic to provide care on a sliding fee scale, giving insured, uninsured and underinsured residents a chance to get treatment.”

The staff of Ashland Community Health Center (ACHC) is anxious to implement a health prevention program which will be made possible by their Expanded Medical Capacity grant from HRSA. “Clearly, many of the health issues of the population we serve are preventable,” said Kaaren Rizor, Executive Director. “With this funding, the ACHC will move toward comprehensive integrated primary health care with a prevention focus.”

Art McDonald, Ph.D., Director of Health Prevention, will coordinate efforts to develop a model integrating primary and mental health care that can be replicated in other healthcare facilities. The clinic will develop a patient centered health care team charged with individualized patient assessment; development and coordination of patient care plans for chronically ill and elderly patients; preventive health teaching; disease management, monitoring, referral, enabling services, data collection and reporting. Patient involvement will be a critical element with patients being encouraged to take an active part in improving their own health by making healthy lifestyle choices.

“This is an exciting adventure and not an easy undertaking. People tend to resist change. Many are comfortable in a treatment focused model. Prevention focused health care requires changes in behavior that lead to a healthier life. The patient is asked to be, not just a part of the equation, but the most important part.” said Rizor.

“Receiving the Expanded Medical CHC celebrate their open house in Libby on June 7th Capacity grant will mean that we can serve an additional 3,200 users in Lincoln County,” explained Maria Clemons, Executive Director of the Lincoln County Community Health Center (LCCHC). “We are very excited to offer additional, and much needed, services to our community “ The LCCHC has clinic sites in Libby, Eureka, and Troy in Lincoln County. The funding ($367,554) will be used to hire an additional full-time physician, part time midlevel practitioner, an outreach coordinator, and nursing and administrative support staff. The center will expand their services in Troy to 3 days/week.

The funding comes at an opportune time as LCCHC has just finished moving into their new clinic at 320 East 2nd Street in Libby. The new 10,000 square foot clinic has 9 exam rooms, 1 procedure room, and has added ultrasound and a stress treadmill to aid in diagnosis. The new space allows for integration of the dental clinic and has 5 dental operatories. Having the dental clinic at the same location as the medical clinic will allow for better integration of these services. In 2006, LCCHC served 3,651 patients—79% under 200% federal poverty level and 45% uninsured. The expanded medical capacity grant and new facility will allow the health center to more effectively meet the needs of the community.

Montana Primary Care Association 1805 Euclid Avenue Helena, MT 59601 Phone: (406) 442-2750 Fax: (406) 449-2460