The Biden Administration American Rescue Plan, Community Health Center Investment
● The Biden Administration announced on March 25th investment of $6 billion into the nation’s 1,400 Community Health Centers. In Minnesota, 16 Community Health Centers will receive nearly $45 million sometime in April.
● MNACHC and the state’s Community Health Centers are deeply appreciative of the recognition from the Biden Administration for the Health Center response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
● Since the outbreak, Minnesota’s Community Health Centers have performed over 50,000 Covid-19 tests and have received over 70,000 Covid-19 vaccination doses – from both state and federal sources.
● Health Center patients have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic – the overall Covid-19 positivity rate for Health Center patients since last year is over 15%, nearly four times the general population’s positivity rate.
● Community Health Centers serve a diverse population – nearly 70% of Health Center patients are from BIPOC communities. Since the onset of the pandemic, the Covid-19 positivity rate in BIPOC communities has been 25%.
● With this federal investment, Health Centers can continue their robust testing, vaccination, and outreach efforts to a population suffering disproportionately from the pandemic. This includes communities of color, low-income populations, and rural residents.
● Health Centers will immediately deploy these funds into their communities by expanding COVID-19 vaccinations, testing, and treatment for vulnerable populations; delivering preventive and primary health care services to people at higher risk for COVID-19; and expanding health centers’ operational capacity during the pandemic and beyond, including modifying and improving physical infrastructure and adding mobile units.
● In addition to funding, the Biden Administration announced that Health Centers receiving vaccines from the federal government can begin administering vaccines to frontline essential workers and all persons 16 years and older with high-risk medical conditions.
● The support from both the federal government and the State of Minnesota will ensure that Minnesota’s Health Centers can continue their mission of serving rural and urban communities that have been hit especially hard by the pandemic and experience the greatest health disparities.