Capps Announces $500,000 Grant to Community Health Centers of the Central Coast
Specifically, the grant will fund the expansion of the CHC owned clinic in Arroyo Grande to add pediatric services. The site will include six exam rooms, waiting and receptionist area, and office space. The grant will also fund building renovations at the Atascadero location.
The funding, which was made available by the Affordable Care Act, is part of over $122 million in grants awarded to California community health centers for renovation and construction projects. Combined, these projects will help them serve an estimated 170,000 new patients.
“Community Health Centers of the Central Coast provides affordable, quality primary care. Expanding the reach of these community clinics is just one of the important ways that the health care law is increasing access to care on the Central Coast. We know that there are many who still lack access to quality, affordable care. That is why investments in building new clinics and expanding existing ones are so important,” said Capps.
“The current projection under health care reform is that more than 30,000 residents in San Luis Obispo and Northern Santa Barbara County will be newly-insured and in need of access to quality primary medical, dental and mental health services. Thanks to this ACA grant, we will be able to improve existing facilities to accommodate the influx of new patients in and around Arroyo Grande and Atascadero, particularly those patients with special needs. I am extremely grateful to Congresswoman Lois Capps, the Obama Administration, and all our elected officials who have been champions for change in our nation’s healthcare legislation. We see this grant as a vote of confidence for the life-changing health care services that CHC’s across the nation provide every day,” said Ron Castle, CEO of CHC.
“These projects will promote economic recovery by creating and retaining jobs. The renovations will add exam rooms, shorten wait times, and improve access to pediatric and primary health care in modern state-of-the-art clinics that are well-planned and energy efficient. This grant benefits all people in our service area, and those families who are negatively impacted by the economic downturn with affordable, high-quality care,” said Ariston Julian, Facility Director of CHC.
Both the Affordable Care Act and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act have made significant investments in community health centers to expand access to affordable primary care in underserved areas across the country. On the Central Coast, portions of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties—including Santa Maria, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Orcutt, and Paso Robles—have been designated as areas in need of greater access to primary medical, dental, and behavioral healthcare.
