SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND, MORELLE ANNOUNCE OVER $2.3 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN RELIEF FOR HEALTH CENTERS SERVING VULNERABLE NEW YORKERS

$2.3M From The American Rescue Plan Is Headed To Clinics Across the State That Were Normally Excluded From Receiving Federal Funds But Provide Much-Needed Care

In The Midst Of Post-Pandemic Recovery, Fed Commitment To Community Health Will Ensure No One Is Left Behind 

Schumer, Gillibrand, Morelle: Federal Funding Will Save Lives 

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Representative Joseph D. Morelle today announced $2,330,500 in federal grants awarded to two “look-a-like” community health clinics in the Finger Lakes: Trillium Health and His Branches. The funding was authorized and appropriated by the American Rescue Plan and delivered by the Department of Health and Human Services.

The clinics’ “look-alike” designation refers to their similarity to federally-designated Community Health Centers (CHCs); they must fulfill all the same requirements as CHCs, namely providing care to any patient regardless of the patient’s ability to pay, but do not receive as much federal money as traditional CHCs. The American Rescue Plan, passed into law this spring, specifically designated look-alikes as eligible for these grants given the role they played on the frontlines of the pandemic. 

“The pandemic didn’t pay attention to bureaucratic distinctions as it ripped through communities in the Finger Lakes this last year,” said Senator Schumer. “As Majority Leader, when putting together the American Rescue Plan, I fought tirelessly for all community health clinics – including Trillium Health and His Branches – to have the tools they need to rebuild and recover from the pandemic. This funding helps them address the critical inequalities exposed by the pandemic and keep on saving lives.”

“As New Yorkers face growing health challenges and economic hardship in the wake of the pandemic, community-based health clinics are playing an indispensable role in caring for the health needs of vulnerable communities across our state,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am a proud champion of community health centers and ‘look-alike’ clinics, and I was proud to work with Senator Schumer to help secure this funding in the American Rescue Plan for Trillium Health and His Branches as they continue to serve the Finger Lakes community and provide access to health care to those most in need."

Just this past May, Senator Gillibrand stood at Trillium Health in Rochester to call for a package of three bills to help reduce the cost of prescription drugs, and help ensure that everyone can access the medicine they need. 

“Unfortunately, we know that underserved communities have been—and continue to be disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 public health crisis,” said Congressman Morelle. “Community-based health centers are critical to addressing these inequities and ensuring everyone has access to the care they deserve, which is why I’m so proud to join Senator Schumer in announcing this important funding that we helped deliver through the American Rescue Plan. Trillium Health and His Branches do incredible work to support our vulnerable communities and I’m grateful that this award will help them accelerate the vaccination process and make healthcare more accessible for Monroe County families.”

“We are extremely grateful to Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, and Congressman Morelle for securing $1.5 million in the American Rescue Plan to help Trillium Health serve the most vulnerable communities in Rochester and the Finger Lakes,” said Andrea DeMeo, President and CEO of Trillium Health. “The COVID-19 pandemic exposed longstanding healthcare inequities among the most vulnerable populations in our community. Trillium Health serves everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and we are uniquely positioned to bring our comprehensive services directly into hard-to-reach areas. We will use the American Rescue Plan funding to break down barriers to care, bring COVID vaccines and testing directly into underserved communities, support LGBTQ+ communities, and increase our capacity to serve the tens of thousands of patients who rely on us each and every day. Trillium Health is committed to promoting health equity through a lens of diversity, equity and inclusion, and we are deeply grateful for the support.”

"The staff, board and patients of His Branches Community Health Center are incredibly grateful for the efforts of Senator Schumer and Gillibrand, as well as Representative Morelle, to secure American Rescue Plan funding for support of clinics like ours in Rochester and around the country. These funds are essential for our team’s ability to continue meeting the ever-changing needs of our neighbors by providing quality and accessible healthcare for those, like our patients, who are most at risk of health inequities,” said Mike Weston, Executive Director of His Branches.

A breakdown of the funding appears below:

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