Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced $732,251 in federal funding for the North Country Family Health Center, which serves both Jefferson and Lewis counties. The Health Resources and Service Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services awarded the funding to help the North Country Family Health Center provide primary health care services for low income families in Jefferson and Lewis Counties
“These much-needed federal funds will help the North Country Family Health Center provide essential health services to low-income families,” said Senator Schumer. “Additional assistance is critical to keeping families in low-income and rural areas healthy and this grant in particular is a substantial amount of federal support for a very worthy facility.”
“This federal funding is tremendously important for North Country,” Senator Gillibrand said. “Quality health care must be accessible throughout our communities. This grant will help the North Country Health Center meet the need for services in Lewis and Jefferson counties and provide low-income families with better, more affordable care.”
“We are thrilled to have been awarded this grant to continue to act as a Federally Qualified Health Center providing high quality healthcare to all in need,” said Joey Marie Horton, Executive Director of the North Country Family Health Center, Inc. “This critical funding will ensure that our organization can continue to meet the medical, mental health, and dental needs of our community. Additionally, the funding will allow us to continue to provide supportive services to homeless individuals. In 2013, our Health Center cared for over 9,000 individuals who made over 36,000 visits for medical, mental health, and dental services. The vast majority of our patients are children who live below the federal poverty guidelines.”
The North Country Family Health Center has helped low-income families in Jefferson and Lewis counties receive primary care for 39 years. Their comprehensive services include preventive care, adult and pediatric primary care, dental care, and behavioral health. By 2012, the center served nearly 10,000 patients, and these funds will support future outreach.