WASHINGTON D.C. – A central Ohio community health center received federal resources to expand access to health care. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced that Columbus Neighborhood Health Center was awarded $900,000 to expand access to quality health care and create jobs in central Ohio. The funds, awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administrations (HRSA) Health Center New Access Point grants, will create health center jobs and help more central Ohioans access more affordable preventive care rather than rely on costly emergency room visits – that are often billed to taxpayers.

“Community health centers play a vital role in Ohio’s health care system, reducing emergency room use and providing critical services to patients who otherwise would have no access to care,” Brown said. “These funds will allow Columbus Neighborhood Health Center to expand their reach to more central Ohioans and expand the range of services they provide.”

This grant is one of 219 grants awarded to community health centers that are expected to create 5,640 jobs and expand care to more than 1.25 million new patients. In 2011, health centers employed more than 138,000 staff including: 9,900 physicians, 6,900 nurse practitioners, physicians’ assistants, and certified nurse midwives, 11,800 nurses, 10,300 dental staff, 4,400 behavioral health staff; and more than 12,500 case managers, health education, outreach and transportation staff.  

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