Grantee Name
Southern Tier Community Health Center Network, Inc.
Funding Area
Primary Care
Publication Date
March 2014
Grant Amount
$100,000
Grant Date:
March 2012 – November 2013
The implementation of the Affordable Care Act is expected to bring an influx of newly insured people into the primary care setting. Consequently, increased primary care capacity is needed, both to care for the additional patients and to ensure a strong safety net for those who remain uninsured.
Southern Tier Community Health Center Network, Inc., (STCHCN)—an Article 28 clinic and federally qualified health center with three operational sites in Cattaraugus and Allegany counties—serves a vulnerable community with significant primary care shortages. More than 35% of its target population lives below 200% of the federal poverty line, and a substantial proportion of the population is uninsured. As the only community health center in its two-county region, STCHCN’s services are in high demand; however it faced a significant lack of resources and physical capacity needed to serve the community.
To help bolster the capacity and expansion of community health centers in medically underserved regions of the State, the New York Health Foundation (NYHealth) issued a request for proposals, Promoting and Managing Growth at Primary Care Centers in Four Regions of New York State. Through this initiative, NYHealth awarded STCHCN a grant to expand primary care capacity for patients with limited access to culturally competent, affordable, and high-quality care in Allegany and Cattaraugus counties.