Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel announced that the Mount Vernon Neighborhood Health Center was awarded a $1,685,294 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from money made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

In announcing the grant the Congressman said he was endorsing a move to include $2.602 billion for the Health Centers program plan in the FY 2010 budget. Health Centers, he said, now treat more than 18 million Americans with scores more high-quality applications for health centers than funding available.

Rep. Engel said, “This money will not only help the people of Mt. Vernon to receive better health care, it will also help our country’s economic health in recovering from our deepening recession.”

Rep. Engel is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health. On Thursday, he was awarded the National Association of Community Health Centers -- 2009 Distinguished Community Health Superhero Award - - at a meeting with the NACHC in his Washington office. At the ceremony were: Carol Morris, the CEO of the Mount Vernon Neighborhood Health Network; David Ford, representing the Mount Vernon Health Center; and Judith Watson, the Executive Director of the Greenburgh Health Center.

The Health Center was established in 1973 and provides services to approximately 110,000 registered patients, giving comprehensive quality medical and dental care. It also provides free health screenings for blood pressure, diabetes and other medical issues.

The grant money is part of a total package of $338 million to expand services offered at community health centers nationwide.

The 11-term Congressman said the health centers nationwide are open to all regardless of their ability to pay. “At a time when health care costs have dramatically increased across the country,” he said, “health centers have kept their costs well under those of other health care providers. In addition, research has shown that health centers actually save the health system money, and that their patients have better outcomes and use hospital emergency rooms less.

“We must continue to support and expand existing health centers,” Rep. Engel said, “and develop new centers in areas of need. This FY 2010 funding request is an investment in a longer-term plan envisioned by the Health Care Safety Net Act to provide care in a health center to 30 million Americans by 2015.”