An area health center is set to receive federal funding from the CARES Act.
Over $52 million in federal grants has been allocated for Community Health Centers in Illinois as part of the $2 trillion legislation passed last month by the federal government.
The Cass County Heath Clinic located in Virginia, Illinois is one of 45 health centers in the state that will receive funding to aid in COVID-19 response efforts. The clinic will receive just over $583,000 in funding from the measure, according to an announcement made this morning by U.S. Senators Dick Durban and Tammy Duckworkth of Illinois.
The funding comes as fears of community health centers closing across the country have escalated after as health centers continue to see a major drop in patient volume during stay at home orders in many states.
The Senate stimulus bills includes $1.32 billion in funding for community health centers, but advocates for the health centers were hoping for $3.2 billion they say is needed to shore up the community health care system across the country.
Durbin says he and his colleagues intend to “build on these efforts in the next stimulus package” and that “our work is not done”.