HealthNet is one of three recipients in Indiana to receive funding made possible by the new health care law that will help build, expand and improve community health centers nationwide.
HealthNet provides care annually to more than 51,500 uninsured and underinsured patients in Marion County and beyond through its growing network of eight primary care health centers and several outreach programs.
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced recently the funding of more than $728 million to support 398 renovation and construction projects, boosting health centers’ ability to care for additional patients and creating jobs.
HealthNet received a $155,000 grant to renovate a portion of HealthNet Southeast Health & Dental Center, located at 901 Shelby St. in Fountain Square Center, to enable the health center to serve more patients.
Funds will be used to convert space previously used for medical records storage and office space into three new exam rooms and space for behavioral health services, enabling the center to serve an additional 1,150 patients annually. The 44-year-old community health center provides more than 35,000 patient visits each year.
The awards are part of a series of capital investments that are made available to community health centers under the Affordable Care Act, which provides $9.5 billion to expand services over five years and $1.5 billion to support major construction and renovation projects at community health centers.
The announcement is for awards from two capital programs for community health centers. One will provide approximately $629 million to 171 existing health centers across the country for longer-term projects to expand their facilities, improve existing services, and serve more patients. This program will expand access to an additional 860,000 patients. The second set of awards will provide approximately $99.3 million to 227 existing health centers to address pressing facility and equipment needs.
Health centers improve the health of the nation’s underserved communities by ensuring access to primary health care services.
