Family Health Center receives federal stimulus funds for expanded services

COLUMBIA — The Family Health Center of Boone County has been chosen to receive $631,990 in federal stimulus grant money to expand its dental services in Columbia and Salisbury.

Gloria Crull, Family Health Center executive director, said she is very pleased.

“This is a much-needed award,” Crull said.

The Family Health Center is one of more than 20 health care centers throughout Missouri that will receive a total of more than $17 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s Capital Improvement Program, according to a news release from Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.  

Crull said the center will use the grant money to purchase dental chairs and surrounding equipment, which will be added to the Columbia and Salisbury centers.

Dental care expansions make up $398,508 of the total allotted grant.

In addition to the expansion of dental equipment, the Family Health Center plans to purchase primary medical equipment for the center in Columbia and a newly expanded site in Marceline.  

Some of the primary medical equipment includes 26 vital sign monitors, an adjustable procedure power table, six exam tables and a backup generator for the Columbia location to keep immunization materials refrigerated, along with numerous other items totaling $224,483.

The other $9,000 will be used for computer equipment.

The Family Health Center is a federally qualified health center that receives grants annually, allowing the center to provide discounted services for uninsured and under-insured patients.

“We serve the medically underserved,” Crull said.

She said the center is for anyone who encounters barriers in accessing health coverage, including uninsured or under-insured people, low-income people and people who live in areas with limited health services.

Crull said the Family Health Center was chosen to receive this grant because the center serves many people who are losing their jobs and therefore losing health care coverage. The center's expansion of services and creation of new jobs were also factors.