Update on Erie Evanston Health Center
The US Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources Services Administration (DHHS-HRSA) recently announced community health center New Access Point Awards on August 9, 2011. There were 67 awards nationally out of some 800 applications. Only 8% of applications were funded. Nearly 25% of the awards went to California alone, and only two grants were awarded to fund new health centers in Illinois -- a migrant health center and a rural health center. The Erie Evanston Health Center was not one of the grant award recipients.
Prior to federal fiscal year 2011 budget cuts, HRSA had planned to fund up to 350 new health centers in this round of grants.
Applicants who did not receive a grant award will receive a letter stating their application was “approved but not funded,” meaning not enough funds were available in the Fiscal Year 2011 cycle to award every high scoring application, or was “disapproved.” These letters will be mailed out in late September, the end of the federal fiscal year. HRSA will then have 12 months from the date on the “approved but not funded” letters to make additional awards based on those applications, if funding becomes available in Federal Fiscal Year 2012.
Erie Family Health Center, the City of Evanston and partner agencies remain committed to working together to establish a federally qualified health center in Evanston and to communicate updates about funding as they become available.