WASHINGTON, D.C.  – President Barack Obama and Congresswoman Kathy Castor announced today at the White House that Tampa Family Health Centers is receiving more than $2.9 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to create jobs and improve medical services for Tampa Bay area families. Tampa Family Health Centers was one of only approximately 30 health centers from across the country invited to the White House announcement. In addition, Suncoast Community Health Centers will receive a Recovery Act award of $3.7 million.

“Our community health centers will be able to expand and hire new medical professionals and put trades and construction professionals to work while providing necessary checkups and primary care to our neighbors. The Tampa Bay area health centers won these competitive grants because they will get right to work creating and retaining important jobs. I am very pleased that President Obama included Tampa Family Health Centers at this announcement because they are on the cutting edge of innovative health care for families throughout the Tampa Bay area. They deserve to be recognized as a national leader because they are using money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act wisely to improve the health of our neighbors and create good-paying jobs at the same time.”

Tampa Family Health Centers will use the $2.9 million to construct a new health center on N. Dale Mabry Highway, near University Community Hospital. The clinic will be approximately 18,000 square feet and will include medical, dental and pharmacy services and will offer after-hours care. A contractor was selected this week. The project is expected to support at least 15 construction jobs and 22 medical-related jobs.

The $6.6 million in grants and investments in our Tampa Bay community health centers follows announcements by Congresswoman Castor earlier this year of job creation initiatives at the Johnnie Ruth Clarke Health Center in South St. Petersburg, Manatee County Rural Health Services and Tampa Family Health Centers. In March, Castor joined Charles Bottoms, president and chief executive of Tampa Family Health Centers, at a news conference to announce that Tampa Bay area community health centers were receiving millions of dollars through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Tampa Family Health Centers is using the money to create and retain jobs and expand services to more area families.

Earlier this year, Tampa Family Health Centers received a Recovery Act award of $605,000. The group planned to hire family practice doctors, a nurse, medical assistants and patient support personnel.

Tampa Family Health Centers also is building a $4 million medical clinic in East Tampa, with a portion of the funding coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Tampa Family Health Centers serves 25,000 patients annually, representing about 100,000 patient visits.

One in 19 Americans relies on a community health center for care and are a key source of local employment and economic growth in many economically challenged communities. These centers support thousands and thousands of jobs nationwide, including physicians, nurses, dentists and other health care professionals. Recent research demonstrates that for every dollar spent on patient care at a community health center, states save money in healthcare spending because services delivered at community health centers are less expensive than services at other outpatient provider settings.

“Our community health centers are important lifelines in our communities, and the jobs they create are a critical part of our economy,” Castor said. “I was honored to join them today at the White House and talk with President Obama about the work they are doing to improve health care throughout the Tampa Bay area.”