BIDDEFORD — The York County Community Action Corporation has learned that it is a recipient of a portion of more than $1.3 million in grants awarded to 18 health care centers in Maine by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

York County Community Action will receive $62,270 in grant funding designed to further improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of the health care delivered to the communities it serves.

The grant funding announcement comes during Health Center Week, the annual celebration of the high-quality, affordable, primary care health centers have been providing for more than 50 years.

“Americans deserve a healthcare system that’s affordable, accessible, of the highest quality, with ample choices, driven by world-leading innovations, and responsive to the needs of the individual patient,” said U.S. HHS Secretary Tom Price. “Supporting health centers across the country helps to achieve that mission.”

Health centers are receiving these funds to continue improving their services based upon high levels of performance in one or more of the following categories: Improving Quality of Care, Increasing Access to Care, Enhancing Delivery of High Value Health Care, Addressing Health Disparities, and Achieving Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition.

“Today’s awards will help health centers to provide their communities with high quality, affordable primary care,” said HRSA Administrator Dr. George Sigounas. “Quality care remains a critical trait of the Health Center Program, especially because health centers are treating more patients than ever before.”

York County Community Action Corp. was awarded $11,270 for clinical quality improvements, $21,000 for enhancing access to health care and increasing patient services and $30,000 for achieving PCMH recognition for service delivery sites. 

The mission of York County Community Action Corporation is to alleviate the effects of poverty, attack its underlying causes, and to promote the dignity and self-sufficiency of the people of York County.

HRSA also released new data compiled from health centers through its Uniform Data System reporting, providing an update on the primary care services being provided to patients. 

The report  shows that in 2016, nearly 26 million people (or about one in 12 U.S. residents) relied on a HRSA-funded health center for affordable, accessible primary health care.

Statistics also more than 330,000 U.S. veterans received services last year from a HRSA-funded health center.

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 ext. 326 or by email at editor@journaltribune.com.