The federal Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday that Westside Family Healthcare will receive $250,000 in funds to improve its facilities.
The award is part of a larger $35 million grant given to 147 health centers in 44 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.
Westside will use the funds to add five additional exam rooms at its Wilmington location, allowing it serve about 1,900 more patients over the next few years.
"We’re absolutely thrilled to have been awarded this grant. This grant will not only mean that we’ll be able to expand clinical capacity but we’ll also be able really set an ideal space to support the patient center medical home model," said Sarah Noonan Davis, Westside Family Healthcare's deputy director.
Davis adds that the grant validates the organization’s model of a coordinated approach tailored to patients’ needs.
"It’s a big achievement for certainly a non-profit community health center, but that achievement is evidenced by the fact that we’ve really been living this model for many years," said Davis. "And we’re really just continuing to transform and perfect and continue to expand upon the great things a patient centered medical home model brings to patients.
The federal grant will also allow Westside Family Healthcare to hire an additional two primary care providers.