NASHVILLE – Today Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05), along with United Neighborhood Health Services and Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center, announced the award of two grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. United Neighborhood services will receive nearly $5 million and Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center will receive nearly $3 million. The grants are a continuation of funding for operations at the federally qualified health centers.
“Neighborhood Health and Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center provide critical care to Tennesseans. They serve the underserved,” Rep. Jim Cooper said. “As their representative in Congress I am thrilled we have these federal funds coming to Nashville.”
“Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center, Inc. continues to be grateful for the support of the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) and the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) for continued funding for our health center sites, school-based clinic and mobile unit,” said Katina Beard, President and CEO of Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center. “This funding supports our highly skilled clinical team and clinic operations that are vital to maintaining and improving health outcomes in our middle Tennessee communities.”
“This continued baseline funding for Neighborhood Health is critical now more than ever: In response to the pandemic, Neighborhood Health launched a new Street Medicine program, a COVID-19 testing program, and now a COVID-19 vaccination program. And our work with the underserved is powerfully demonstrated in a few statistics,” said Brian Haile, CEO of Neighborhood Health. “Since we received our first delivery of vaccine several weeks ago, we have administered almost 1,600 vaccinations to roughly 1,300 people. With regard to race, at least 37% of our COVID-19 vaccinations are among African Americans (compared to 15% locally and 9% statewide); in terms of ethnicity, 18% of our COVID-19 vaccinations are among Hispanic patients (compared to 3% locally and 2% statewide). Working in collaboration with the Metro Homeless Impact Division, the Metro Public Health Department, Saint Thomas Health, and community partners, Neighborhood Health has committed to a plan to offer COVID-19 vaccination to 100% of people experiencing homelessness in the near term,” Haile continued. “Particularly given that so many in our area have lost employment and their job-based health insurance since last March, Nashville has leaned in to Neighborhood Health – and we are doing everything we can to support all of our neighbors.”
, along with United Neighborhood Health Services and Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center, announced the award of two grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. United Neighborhood services will receive nearly $5 million and Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center will receive nearly $3 million. The grants are a continuation of funding for operations at the federally qualified health centers.){kind=link}