Grant for Libby and Troy health centers

Over $350,000 awarded to medical centers

LIBBY - The Lincoln County Community Health Center was recently awarded funds to extend medical services throughout the county, according to Lincoln County Community Health Center Executive Director Maria Clemons.

Montana's Congressman, Denny Rehberg, announced Thursday the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has awarded Lincoln County Community Health Center in Libby a $367,554 grant.

Additional funding in Lincoln County will be used to "expand the medical capacity and hire an additional physician and ancillary staff," Clemons said.

According to a press release issued from the offices of Montana Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester and Congressman Rehberg, the grants will be issued to the Lincoln County Community Health Center and to the Ashland Community Health Center.

The grants come from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to improve health services. The grants will be distributed as follows:

? Lincoln County Community Health Center, Libby and Troy: $367,554

? Ashland Community Health Center, Ashland: $283,190

Funds will be distributed in Lincoln County on June 1, but the medical center is given six months to implement the funds, Clemons said.

Currently, doctors and staff rotate between the Libby and Troy medical facilities, she said. With the additional funds and medical staff, the Troy facility will be open an additional day during the week, Clemons said. At this time, Troy medical facilities are open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, however it is unclear which additional day the medical facility will be open once the funds have been implemented, Clemons said.

"Making sure that all Montanans have access to quality, affordable health care is one of my top priorities," Baucus said in the press release. "Folks in Libby and Ashland, like all Montanans, are good hard working people and these dollars will help make sure they have access to top notch care."

"This money will go a long way for rural Montana," Tester said in the press release. "Better facilities leads to better health care, which leads to a better economy, more jobs and more opportunity for places like Libby and Ashland."

The grants will be distributed through the Health Resources and Services Administration.

"The healthcare priorities of rural Americans and Montanans may differ from folks living in more populated areas, but everyone shares the desire for access to affordable, quality care," Rehberg said in a press release. Rehberg is a member of the House Appropriations Committee. "Lincoln County Community Health Center is a great example of top-notch rural healthcare and this grant will allow them to continue that tradition."

In 2005, Montana's health centers received almost $13 million in federal grants. More than half the Montanans served by the centers lack health insurance and more than 20 percent are covered by Medicare or Medicaid. The centers also account for 350 good-paying Montana jobs.

Rehberg is a cosponsor of the Health Centers Renewal Act which will provide access for almost 4 million new patients across the U.S. and will increase funding for federal grants. The legislation would increase health center funding to $2.19 billion for 2008.

"Community health centers are the backbone of quality healthcare in rural states like Montana," Rehberg stated in a press release. "Thanks to Montana's 13 community health centers, folks living in rural areas, on Indian reservations and those without insurance have access to reliable healthcare."

Rehberg also sits on the House, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee which is in charge of Department of Heath and Human Services funding.