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Community Health Centers Face Federal Funding Cuts
BY DANIEL CASCIATO Hartley remains hopeful we employ come from the community important to maintain teaching health
however since there has and we serve the people in the communi- center programs throughout the nation.
Community health cen- been bipartisan support ty. That employment in the community They are training our next generation of
ters across the country will for community health cen- will be greatly affected.” professionals and this is a program that
continue to pressure ters in the past. For In addition to loss of jobs, federal cuts we think is essential for the continued
Congress to reauthorize instance, under President could also lead to a loss of business for and superior provision of healthcare
funding as the funding George Bush Jr., the vendors. As an economic incubator for services in America.”
cliff remains unsettled. administration wanted to the community, CHI has long purchased Closing any community health center
Health Centers, such as double the number of peo- services from businesses in the commu- simply cannot be an option, stresses
Community Health of ple served by community nities that it serves. While CHI has a $70 Hartley. If any center closes, the people
South Florida (CHI), serve health centers in his first million budget, its economic impact on in the community will go to the closest
the working poor, unin- term. the community is estimated to be about hospital emergency room for care.
sured and homeless “In his second term as $125 million a year. “If that happens, it will be at a greater
around the state. If no president, President Bush “We are also providing health educa- cost than what we provide in our com-
new funding is authorized Brodes H. Hartley proposed to place a com- tion to the community,” Hartley adds. munity health centers,” says Hartley.
by early December, feder- munity health center in “We try to educate the next generation of “People who receive their routine care in
ally qualified health centers could lose every poor county in America,” says healthcare professionals through our community health centers have a lower
up to 70 percent of their 2018 funding if Hartley. “That support continued with affiliations with the educational institu- overall cost of healthcare because they
Congress doesn't act to pass legislation to President Obama, who wanted to double tions including Florida International use emergency rooms less and go to the
help them. Further delays are also hin- the number of people cared for by com- University, University of Miami, hospital less.”
dering 2018 planning for many health munity health centers from 20 million to University of Florida, and Miami-Dade Hartley urges members of the commu-
centers. 40 million. We are very confident, even College, Florida Atlantic University, and nity to call on their Congressman and
“With this large degree of uncertainty, with the uncertainty now, that in the other institutions.” other legislators to try to gain support for
it’s very difficult for us to plan,” says final analysis, we will get the support Students from these institutions often the continued funding of community
Brodes H. Hartley, Jr., President and CEO that we need for community health cen- gain clinical experiences in nursing, health centers.
of CHI. ters.” nursing assistance, pharmacy, physical “I’m hopeful that there will be a posi-
Community health centers have taken So what happens if 70% of the funding therapy, and family medicine. Currently, tive outcome and when the dust is finally
a prominent role in providing health care is lost? there are 31 physicians in CHI’s residen- settled at the Congressional level, we will
across the country. Today, there are more Hartley notes that CHI is fortunate that cy program right now. There are 60 com- have an extension of the funding for
than 1,400 community health centers it does have multiple sources of funding munity health centers like CHI which community health centers,” he says. “I
across the nation providing primary care to prevent them from closing its doors, have been designated as teaching centers still believe people of goodwill will not
to nearly 26 million people. It’s the unlike those health centers who are across the country. Those programs allow for the closure of community
largest network of primary healthcare funded 100% by federal dollars. would be in jeopardy if the funding cliff health centers in this country.”
providers in the country and it plays a However, he points out that it will be is not resolved.
prominent role in the delivery of quality affected in others ways. “We have a shortage of healthcare pro- For more information on Community
healthcare services, especially to the “We are an employer in the communi- fessionals in America, especially primary Health of South Florida,
uninsured and underserved populations. ties that we serve,” he says. “The people care physicians,” says Hartley. “It’s visit www.chisouthfl.org.
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South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com November 2017 7
