MIAMI – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded Community Health of South Florida Inc. (CHI) two grants with a combined total of $1, 583,066 for service expansion and infrastructure renovations. It is part of $500 million in funding that HRSA designated under the Affordable Care Act money designed to give more Americans increased access to services to health care.
“Both grants are exciting opportunities for us to expand and improve upon health care services for residents of the Miami-Dade and Monroe counties,” said Blake Hall, Chief Operating Officer at CHI. “There is a surprising amount of need in south Florida, and these grants will help to increase health care capacity so that all residents can live healthier, happier lives.”
The funding will enable Community Health of South Florida Inc. to hire 8 new members of the behavioral health team for additional service, and three new members of the outreach staff to assist with insurance enrollment and even transportation to and from the health center. It will extend service hours into the evenings and weekends for behavioral health care at the Doris Ison Center, 10300 SW 216 St. Miami FL 33190, CHI’s corporate headquarters.
“People are busy and some don’t have the time to come during working hours,” said Jean Pierre, VP for Behavioral Health Services at Community Health of South Florida Inc. (CHI). “This is gives them the convenient access that they need to get high quality behavioral health care.”
CHI estimates the extra staff and after hours will enable them to see about 1,600 new and 5,500 existing patients. Many of these clients are from low-income and underserved populations.
In addition, one million dollars of that funding will help renovate the building located next door to CHI’s current Marathon Health Center, 2855 Overseas Highway Mile Marker. 48.5, Marathon FL 33050. The expansion will increase dental service capacity adding an extra 7 dental treatment rooms. It will also enable CHI to offer behavioral health services at for the first time in Marathon to include individual and group and family counseling. Patient flow and accessibility will also improve with four new medical treatment rooms and a new sick child waiting area.
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