HRSA Awards $2 Million to Support New Jersey FQHCs in Quality Improvement

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced $2,076,473 million in Quality Improvement Awards to 23 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in New Jersey. Health centers will use these funds to build upon their 2017 achievements to continue to improve quality, efficiency, and the value of health care delivery in the communities they serve.Awards are funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The awards were announced during with National Health Center Week, which is an annual celebration to raise awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s FQHCs over the past five decades.

“Especially as we celebrate National Health Center Week, we are pleased to see so many Federally Qualified Health Centers receive Quality funding awards from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). FQHCs, also known as Community Health Centers provide high quality, cost efficient care to people every day in every county of our state. We are proud to see that the FQHC standard of excellence, commitment and effort has been acknowledged with these awards,” said Jillian Hudspeth, President and CEO of New Jersey Primary Care Association.

Total Funding to New Jersey: 23 awards totaling $2,076,473

• Electronic Health Record (EHR) Reporters Awards: 14 awards totaling $70,000
• Clinical Quality Improver Awards: 18 awards totaling $464,157
• Health Center Quality Leader Awards: 7 awards totaling $340,316
• National Quality Leader Awards: 0 awards totaling $0
• Enhancing Access to Care Awards: 6 awards totaling $70,000
• Delivering High Value Health Care Awards: 1 awards totaling $45,000
• Addressing Health Disparities Awards: 4 awards totaling $145,000
• Advancing Health Information Technology (HIT) for Quality Awards: 23 awards totaling $107,000
• Achieving PCMH Recognition Awards: 19 awards totaling $835,000

“NJPCA congratulates the 23 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in New Jersey who received Quality funding awards. It is an honor to be recognized as national leaders in advancing Health Information Technology (HIT) and achieving Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition. We commend all of the FQHCs for continuing to provide high quality, affordable primary care to the communities they serve,” said Jillian Hudspeth.

The 23 Federally Qualified Health Centers who received funding in New Jersey include:

AtlantiCare Health Services;

CAMcare Health Corporation;

Center for Health Education, Medicine & Dentistry;

CompleteCare Health Network;

Eric B. Chandler Health Center;

Henry J. Austin Health Center;

Horizon Health Center;

Jewish Renaissance Foundation, Inc.;

Jewish Renaissance Medical Center;

Mary Eliza Mahoney Health Centers;

Metropolitan Family Health Network;

Monmouth Family Health Center;

Neighborhood Health Services;

Newark Community Health Centers, Inc.;

North Hudson Community Action Corporation Health Center;

Ocean Health Initiatives, Inc.;

Paterson Community Health Center;

Project H.O.P.E., Inc.;

Rutgers Community Health Center;

Saint James Health, Inc.;

Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers, Inc.;

Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey Community Health Center; and

Zufall Health Center.

Seven New Jersey Federally Qualified Health Centers in New Jersey received Quality Leader awards. Health Center Quality Leaders were among the top 30 percent of all HRSA-supported health centers that achieved the best overall clinical outcomes, demonstrating high-quality across their clinical operations. Benchmarks were determined by mathematically adjusting for certain health center characteristics facilitating comparisons across health centers, and sorting health centers into quartiles for each clinical quality measure.

New Jersey Quality Leaders include:

Horizon Health Center; Jewish Renaissance Foundation; Jewish Renaissance Medical Center; Neighborhood Health Services Corporation; North Hudson Community Action Corporation; Eric B. Chandler Health Center; and Zufall Health Center.

Nearly $125 million in Quality Improvement grants was awarded to 1,352 community health centers across all U.S. states, territories and the District of Columbia. For a list of FY 2018 Quality Improvement Awards recipients, visit: https://bphc.hrsa.gov/programopportunities/fundingopportunities/qualityimprovement/index.html.

About the New Jersey Primary Care Association

The New Jersey Primary Care Association (NJPCA) is an advocate for community health centers as well as a provider of comprehensive education, training, and technical assistance to health centers in New Jersey. NJPCA currently has 24 health centers, one of which is a look-alike and 134 satellite sites providing healthcare services to over 500,000 people in New Jersey. For more information about NJPCA, please visit njpca.org.

Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are in every state across the nation. FQHCs are authorized under Section 330(A) of the Public Health Services Act to provide healthcare to the medically underserved. Many health centers and their sites are specially designated to serve the needs of special populations including homeless populations, public housing residents, migrant and seasonal farm workers, veterans and school-aged children. For more information about the HRSA Health Center Program, please visit bphc.hrsa.gov/about/index.html.