Monday, January 20, 2025
1/20/2025
Title: Expanding Capacity To Increase Access Applicant: Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas Inc. (CHC/SEK) Project Director: Krista Postai, Chief Executive Officer Address: 3015 N. Michigan Street, Pittsburg KS Contact: Telephone 620-235-1867; email kpostai@chcsek.org Section 330 Grant: H80CS0084 Congressional District: KS-002 & KS-003 Funding Request: $500,000 each in Year One and Year Two The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas -- with almost 60 sites covering more than 6,000 sq. miles -- is located in the least healthy and most economically-challenged all-rural regions of Kansas and (northeast) Oklahoma. As the only federally qualified health center in this expansive service area, it has evolved from a double-wide trailer in 2003 to the largest health center in Kansas and one of the top 50 in the nation with more than 80,000 patients and more than 1,000 employees. Delivering "Healthcare the Way it Should Be", CHC/SEK provides medical, dental and behavioral healthcare in clinics, schools, jails, hospitals and nursing homes regardless of ability to pay. It ensures all patient have the medications they need through seven in-house pharmacies, diagnostic imaging including CT scanning and mammography and comprehensive support services including transportation, translation and a diverse group of community health workers. Toward that end, it now provides primary care services in its 17 full-service clinics a combined total of more than 2,000 hours per week. Recognizing a changing demographic among its target population, it launched "walk-in" care to provide an immediate option to our patients to the increasingly expensive Emergency Departments, maintain continuity of care especially during the pandemic and encourage our uninsured patients to seek essential care without delay. Extremely well received, it has now exceeded capacity serving our current patients and attracting new patients with about 40% of all our visits "same day." To respond to the increasing demand, CHC/SEK is proposing the additional expansion of both walk-in and traditional (by appointment) care a total of 64 hours a week in Pittsburg, KS (the region's population center), in Pleasanton in Linn County where CHC/SEK is the sole source of health care and in Garnett in Anderson County which has been limited by space during conventional business hours. The proposed hours are primarily weekends, early mornings and evenings. Funds are targeted for salaries and benefits with the exception of a one-time investment in conventional x-ray equipment for the downtown Pittsburg location which will also accommodate occupational health injuries and urgent care.
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).