Tuesday, April 29, 2025
4/29/2025
Congressionally Directed Spending for Construction Projects - Physical Location of Construction Project: 831 Central Street, Franklin, NH 03235-2026 Our community health center, dedicated to providing affordable healthcare and promoting wellness in the Franklin, NH area and surrounding towns, is excited to apply for funding to support the expansion of our facilities. The acquisition of an adjacent building next to our existing health center, which HealthFirst refers to as "the Annex," presents a significant opportunity to expand and enhance our services and impact in the area that has considerable need. This building is an old structure, originally built as a pizza restaurant therefore we need to do a considerable amount of work to renovate and connect this building to our existing health center. Our current health center, we have operated for the last 28 years, is located at 841 Central Street, Franklin, NH, the Annex building, recently purchased is adjacent at 831 Central Street, Franklin, NH. The size of the project property, which was purchased in July 2024, is 2.65 acres, with an existing building (the Annex) which has an effective square footage area of 2,121. The entire 2,121 square feet of the building will be part of this construction project, as well as a new, approximately 800 to 1,000 sq. ft. addition to the building to create a connection to our existing health center. Expanding the Franklin HealthFirst Family Care Center into a two-building health campus has been a vision of the Leadership Team for several years. The recent acquisition of an adjacent property (the Annex) now provides an opportunity for HealthFirst to expand in a strategic way, rather than in piece meal fashion due to formerly being landlocked with no space to expand. Having a robust health campus will allow HealthFirst to offer even more essential services to the community such as primary care, pediatrics, behavioral health, Medication Assisted Treatment, and more. This construction, renovation and expansion project involves bridging or connecting the newly acquired next door building (the Annex) with our existing health center at 841 Central Street in Franklin, NH. As for renovation, the Annex will get a complete reconfiguration and upgrade to all aspects of the building. The purpose is to create an expanded space for integration of support services for patients and staff since out existing health center facility is at full capacity. The “Annex” will primarily house direct patient support teams, like HealthFirst’s Quality & Care Management department, Patient Services – Advocacy & Outreach, and some indirect services such as the health center’s administrative, finance and billing staff. The Annex will also contain a training space for our staff, and a community meeting and wellness center. This comprehensive approach will enable us to not only improve access to healthcare but also advance our commitment to community wellness through physical, mental, and nutritional initiatives. There is only one (1) project involved with this funding. Also, this is the only funding for this project, therefore all the $250,000 in grant funds will go toward all aspects of this work as described below and in the budget narrative. - Expand access to affordable healthcare by accommodating an additional medical provider. - Enhance employee retention and recruitment through upgraded facilities and wellness amenities. - Provide expanded learning opportunities for healthcare staff, fostering professional growth and development. - Establish a wellness center and community meeting space to promote holistic well-being among residents.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).