Eligible community health providers across Illinois are being urged to apply for grants under a new $50 million state funding program seeking to expand and improve access to primary care services.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker states that the grants can be used for a variety of construction, facilities and building projects. That includes constructing new clinics, renovating or expanding existing facilities, and purchasing medical equipment.
State officials’ goal is to help community health centers update aging buildings and serve more patients. The funding could be used to add exam rooms, expand dental care and behavioral health services, and improve access to care in rural and underserved areas.
Similar grants in recent years have helped clinics open new neighborhood health centers, add dental suites, upgrade laboratories, and remodel outdated waiting and exam areas. In some communities, the money has been used to create space for mental health counseling or to expand services for seniors and low-income families.
Only certain providers are eligible to apply. The grants are aimed primarily at Federally Qualified Health Centers, known as FQHCs, and at similar organizations known as FQHC “look-alikes.”
Both types of clinics operate as nonprofit community health centers. They provide primary care, dental services, and other basic health care to patients regardless of income or insurance status. While they both specialize in accessibility to underserved populations, look-alikes do not receive direct federal funding. They do receive federal reimbursements, like Medicaid and Medicare.
The $50 million initiative is funded through the state’s Rebuild Illinois capital program, a multiyear infrastructure investment plan. The grant program will be administered by the Illinois Capital Development Board in partnership with the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Pritzker said the grants are meant to help stabilize community clinics as federal health funding faces potential cuts.
Officials describe the program as a way to help community clinics meet rising needs. Many centers serve more patients than their facilities were built to handle. State grants would allow them to add exam rooms, update equipment, and serve more people closer to where they live.
Applications are being accepted through the Illinois Capital Development Board. State officials said guidelines and deadlines are available on the agency’s website.
Photo by Mikhail Nilov from Pexels
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