Health centers receive $2.85M in grants

The Flathead City-County Health Department and Libby’s Lincoln County Community Health Center are among 17 Montana community health facilities that received a total of $2.85 million in funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced Thursday.

Both facilities were awarded $175,700 — the top dollar amount received by any recipient save for Havre’s Bullhook Community Health Center, Inc., which got an additional dollar.

The Flathead Community Health Center, an affiliate of the Flathead City-County Health Department, will utilize the funding to inscrease its substance abuse services.

“We find that oftentimes people want to work on their addiction and they’re just not able to access the services and resources to help them overcome their addiction,” said Flathead Community Health Center Executive Director Jody White. “There’s a huge need in the vally related to substance abuse and we are hoping we can have something where we can more formally set up some strategies and some plans to address the needs in our community.”

White said the grant will allow the center to hire a patient navigator to help link clients to appropriate programs in the community and bring on a second employee to help the center develop a strategic plan for maximizing the usage of local mental health services.

“Montana’s Community Health Centers provide quality care close to home,” Daines stated. “I’m thrilled to be announcing additional funds so that Montanans can continue to receive the care they have come to know.”

The other recipients included Yellowstone City and County Health Department, Riverstone Health in Billings; Montana Migrant Council Inc. in Billings; Missoula City/County Health Department/Partnership Healthcare in Missoula; Custer County Community Health Center, Inc. in Miles City; Bighorn Valley Health Center in Hardin; County of Lewis & Clark in Helena; Butte-Silver Bow Primary Health Clinic in Butte; Community Health Partners Inc. in Livingston; Central Montana Community Health Center in Lewistown; Cascade City/County Health Department in Great Falls; Glacier Community Health Center, Inc. in Cutback; Sweet Medical Center, Inc. in Chinook; Sapphire Community Health in Hamilton and Marias Healthcare Services Inc. in Shelby.

Reporter Mackenzie Reiss may be reached at 758-4433 or mreiss@dailyinterlake.com.