Rockefeller, Manchin Announce $915,867 For Health Centers Across West Virginia
Washington, D.C. —Senators Jay Rockefeller and Joe Manchin (both D-W.Va.) today announced that the Belington Community Medical Services Association (BCMSA), Shenandoah Valley Medical System, Inc. in Martinsburg and Community Health Systems, Inc. HHS (CHS) in Beckley will receive a total of $915,867 from the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Center Cluster Program. These funds will help these health centers continue and improve their operations.
The Belington Community Medical Services Association will receive $140,662 to help continue comprehensive primary, preventive and supplemental health care services. BCMSA provides health care services to all of Barbour County and parts of Randolph County. The BCMSA’s mission is to improve its residents’ health care by providing access to quality primary, urgent and preventive services, regardless of one’s ability to pay.
Shenandoah Valley Medical System, Inc., headquartered in Martinsburg, will receive $462,157 to provide a coordinated continuum of affordable, accessible, quality primary care services complemented by health educators, care coordinators and physicians in a wide variety of focused medical fields. Shenandoah Valley Medical System, Inc. provides services in the Eastern Panhandle that include pediatrics, family practice, internal medicine, general psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, mental health/substance abuse therapy, oral health services, laboratory assistance, basic radiology, health education, and medication assistance.
Community Health Systems, Inc. headquartered in Beckley, will receive $313,048 to continue providing comprehensive health care services, including primary care and preventive care, pharmacy locations throughout the service area, OB/GYN services, mammography, dental, mental health/substance abuse referrals and laboratory services in Raleigh, Fayette and Wyoming Counties. CHS will also use the funds toward counseling and behavioral services, as well as targeting diabetes and hypertension management programs and cancer screenings.
“Since the beginning of my career, I have fought to make sure all West Virginians have access to affordable health care,” said Senator Rockefeller, Chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care. “I was proud to fight for the $11 billion we included for community health centers in the health reform law, including new funding to build and improve facilities and provide vital primary and preventive care to West Virginians. We must keep pushing to make health care more available to West Virginians, especially for residents in rural and underserved areas just as this funding will do. This money will work toward our promise of improving quality health care to West Virginia’s families and giving people greater access to the specialized care they need.”
“I’m committed to helping rural families and children have access to affordable health care all across our state,” Senator Manchin said. “This grant funding will help families who truly need assistance with their health needs, and it will help ensure all West Virginians have access to access to preventive care, treatment when they are sick, and much-needed medicine.”
The Health Center Cluster Program provides financial assistance to the populations that would generally not have access to health care services by funding health centers to support comprehensive primary and preventive health care services to underserved or rural areas. The funds may be used for oral health care, mental health care and substance abuse services.
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