HHS awards North Country Family Health Center $732,000 in funding

WATERTOWN — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded the North Country Family Health Center, Inc. more than $732,000 in federal funding.

The money will help the facility provide primary health-care services for low-income families in Jefferson and Lewis counties.

That’s according to U.S. Senators Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D–N.Y.), who announced the funding in a news release posted Monday on Schumer’s website.

The Health Resources and Service Administration within the HHS provided the funding, the lawmakers said.

The grant award enables the facility to continue operations as a federally qualified health center, providing health care to all in need, Joey Marie Horton, executive director of the North Country Family Health Center, said in the news release.

“This critical funding will ensure that our organization can continue to meet the medical, mental health, and dental needs of our community.  Additionally, the funding will allow us to continue to provide supportive services to homeless individuals.  In 2013, our health center cared for over 9,000 individuals who made over 36,000 visits for medical, mental health, and dental services.  The vast majority of our patients are children who live below the federal-poverty guidelines,” Horton said.

The North Country Family Health Center has helped low-income families in Jefferson and Lewis counties receive primary care for 39 years, the lawmakers said.

Its services include preventive care, adult and pediatric primary care, dental care, and behavioral health.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com