PEEKSKILL, N.Y. – New Yorkers have a lot on their plate and according to the National Library of Medicine, a busy schedule is one of the leading barriers to receiving medical care. But what if you could go to the doctors before work, after work or even on the weekends?
An investment to expand hours at community health centers could help make care more accessible.
The Biden administration announced plans to help New York families improve their access to community health centers across the state.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) on Tuesday announced a $4.3 million investment meant for expanding hours of operation and improving accessibility to health services in the state.
Carol Johnson, administrator for the Health Resources and Services Administration, said the funding is critical for New Yorkers, whether they are uninsured, underinsured or relying on Medicaid coverage.
"In the Biden-Harris administration, we have focused not just on expanding access to health insurance coverage, because that’s absolutely vital, but if you have an insurance card, you need a place to be able to use it," Johnson said.
With the help of the grant, nine HRSA-funded community health center in New York that serve more that 572,000 people will be able to open earlier or close later to meet the need for health care services outside of traditional business hours.
Johnson said the goal is to provide equal opportunities for anyone in need of emergency services, primary care physicians, dental care and more.
“It shouldn’t be the case that I, with my private insurance, if I have a child that got sick in the evening ...I could go take my private insurance to a local urgent care and get my needs met. But a family that’s on Medicaid or uninsured, doesn’t always have that same flexibility," Johnson said.
Stanley Foy has been a Peekskill resident for more than 20 years. He said while he relies on Social Security to survive, he is looking forward to Sun River Health expanding its hours of operation.
“I have been coming here for over 20 years," Foy said. "I have aches and pains, and health care is extremely difficult to get to.”
Sun River Health in Peekskill is one of the eight HRSA-funded community health centers receiving funding. Here's a list of all of them, where they are located and how much they are receiving:
- Refuah Health Center, Spring Valley, $500,000
- Sun River Health, Peekskill, $500,000
- La Casa De Salud, Bronx, $500,000
- Housing Works Health Services III, Brooklyn, $500,000
- The Institute For Family Health, New York City, $335,245
- Apicha Community Health Center, New York City, $500,000
- North Country Family Heal, Watertown, $498,824
- Mosaic Health, Rochester, $500,000
- East Hill Family Medical, Auburn, $500,000