As part of ongoing efforts to ensure that Montana health providers are properly equipped for the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced that the state will receive $810,430 in grant funding.
This will be split between 14 Community Health Centers (CHCs) to aid them with screening and testing, acquiring medical supplies, and boosting telehealth capacity.
“Montana is staring down the barrel of this pandemic, and it’s our Community Health Centers that will be on the front lines when it comes to testing and treating Montanans,” said Tester. “These centers are already in a pinch even though they’re often the primary care providers in their communities, and this funding is critical so they have more resources to protect the folks they serve."
This grant funding is provided by the Health Resources and Services Administration in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and comes as part of a Tester-led push earlier this month to allocate $100 million in funding to help CHCs across the country prepare for the COVID-19 outbreak.
“This initial round of funding comes at a critical time for all of the health centers that are on the frontlines of the state’s COVID-19 response,” said Jill-Marie Steely, CEO of PureView Health Center. “We appreciate Senator Tester’s commitment and leadership on behalf of CHCs.”
The funding will be split across the following Montana CHCs:
· Bighorn Valley Health Center (Hardin)
· Bullhook Community Health Center (Havre)
· Butte-Silver Bow Primary Health Care Clinic (Butte)
· Great Falls Community Health Care Center (Great Falls)
· Community Health Partners Clinic (Livingston)
· Flathead County Community Health Center (Kalispell)
· Glacier Community Health Center (Cut Bank)
· Lincoln County Community Health Center (Libby)
· Marias Health Care Services (Shelby)
· Missoula County Community Health Center (Missoula)
· Montana Migrant & Seasonal Farm Workers Council (Billings)
· PureView Health Center (Helena)
· Sapphire Community Health Center (Hamilton)
· Yellowstone City-County Health Department (Billings)
On Monday Tester took to the Senate floor to ensure that the needs of Montana hospitals are met in the 3rd coronavirus spending package, and he implored the Trump Administrationlast week to make sure that rural states like Montana have access to medical gear to prepare the COVID-19 pandemic.
