Articles

South Florida community health centers get millions for coronavirus response

Sun Sentinel / Cindy Krischer Goodman / April 8, 2020

FoundCare of West Palm Beach opened as the first drive-thru testing site in South Florida. In the weeks that followed, the federally funded community health center has tested hundreds of people for the virus and filtered thousands of phone calls from people concerned they had the virus.

The Florida health centers will receive the funding immediately as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act.

FoundCare, with seven medical and behavioral health centers throughout Palm Beach County, will get nearly $1 million to continue offering COVID-19 help in Palm Beach County. Yolette Bonnet, CEO of FoundCare, said the money is much needed as her centers ramp up their telehealth and testing services for a mostly uninsured population.

In this critical time, Bonnet said, community health centers play a vital role. "We are almost like an ER diversion. If we can keep people out of the hospital, we save room for those who are the sickest."

In South Florida, the largest beneficiary is the Community Health Center of South Florida in Cutler Bay, which will get more than $3 million.

"These federal funds will provide critical resources to Florida's health centers and medical professionals who are risking their own lives every day," said U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla. "I am committed to helping ensure that Florida's health centers are equipped with the necessary medical equipment and supplies needed to care for patients as our state continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic."

Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, who represents North Miami-Dade and Southeast Broward, said the funding for the community health centers will have a significant impact on minority communities in Florida.

"These centers are at the front lines of combating the virus and are the first place that many low-income people turn to for care," she said in a written statement. "Given recent news reports, the grants will be enormously helpful to minority communities where people of color have been disproportionately affected by this public health crisis, and more testing and other related services are desperately needed."

Along with health centers, Florida's hospitals, treating the sickest COVID-19 patients, also stand to benefit from federal funding. They will get a first wave of funding this week.

The Trump administration plans to roll out $30 billion in funding from the latest stimulus package to hospitals by Friday. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act passed by Congress in March allocated $100 billion in funding for U.S. hospitals struggling with the financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic. More of the funds would roll out to hospitals over time.