Friday, Jan. 6, 2006
Contact: Spence Jackson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Opens Door for New Health Care Centers
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt today announced that his budget recommendations will include a funding increase for community health centers. The centers provide medical, dental and mental health services to uninsured and underinsured individuals. They also provide services in those areas of the state that lack access to health care.
"These centers are a critical part of Missouri’s healthcare system. My budget recommendation expands the network of coverage across our state and increases Missourians access to care," Blunt said. "Supporting existing health care centers is not enough. We must also work to expand these vital services to areas facing desperate needs."
In addition to full funding for community health center grants, the governor’s budget recommendation will include $700,000 for community health center expansion opportunities. This additional funding will support the development of new community health centers in the Hannibal area and the Jefferson City/Linn area. It will also support expansion of the Missouri Highlands Health Care Center in Ellington by opening satellite sites in Butler and Ripley Counties.
In 2004, Missouri's community health centers served 270,500 Missourians, who visited the centers almost one million times. Expansion related to the governor’s funding recommendation would accommodate almost 20,000 more visits every year in Hannibal, Naylor, Poplar Bluff and the Jefferson City area alone.
Blunt’s total budget recommendation for community health centers in Fiscal Year ’07 will be $8.7 million in general revenue funding. This figure also reflects the one million dollar increase Blunt worked to secure last session for community health centers.
The governor announced the funding increase and visited healthcare centers today in Jefferson City, Kirksville, Hannibal, and St. Louis.
###