Lincoln County health center to receive federal funding for COVID-19 pandemic

The Northwest Community Health Center stands to receive as much as $659,900 in federal funding for the struggle against the novel coronavirus spreading across the country.

In separate statements last week, U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) and U.S. senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) announced securing $9.1 million for the state’s network of community health centers. The funding comes through the federal Health and Human Services Department via the recently passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

The money must be spent on efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, detect cases of the illness and treat patients. Local medical providers also can use the money to maintain or expand capacity as well as staffing levels in the face of the pandemic.

In Libby, officials with the Northwest Community Health Center plan to use the additional dollars to maintain capacity and staffing levels during the pandemic. Executive Director Maria Clemons said the money would help in efforts to expand telehealth and remote treatment capacity.

“[The community health center] is grateful for the award, and will be utilizing the funds to maintain health center capacity and staffing levels during the public health emergency,” she wrote in an email.

The community health center also has had to bulk up on personal protective equipment and secure testing supplies to continue treating patients, Clemons said.

The $9.1 million will be disbursed at 14 community health centers throughout the state. Nearby Flathead County, for instance, is slated to receive $696,170 while Missoula County will receive an expected $874,850.

Nationally, the Health and Human Services Department is distributing $1.3 billion across roughly 1,400 community health centers.

“Montana doctors, nurses and medical staff are heroes who are on the frontlines treating patients and protecting our communities amid the COVID-19 outbreak,” Gianforte said in a statement. “This funding will help them fulfill their mission and provide critical care during this public health crisis.”

“Community health centers are on the frontlines of protecting Montana’s frontier communities from the coronavirus pandemic,” Tester said in a statement. “I fought for this funding because these centers are the backbone of healthcare across our state and it’s absolutely critical that our state’s health providers have the resources they need to keep Montanans healthy and safe.”

Daines echoed those sentiments, saying in a statement that "This is about getting our health care professionals on the front lines the resources they need to combat the Coronavirus pandemic."