WASHINGTON – The Department of Health and Human Services has released more than $25.7 million in grants to increase and improve health and support services at health centers across the nation.

“These grants could not be coming at a better time,” HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said. “With more than 14.5 million Americans out of work, and 47 million without health insurance, the health centers are seeing more patients now than ever before.”

A total of 180 grants worth more than $21.9 million will give existing health centers the funds to add or increase mental health, substance abuse, oral health and pharmacy services. Additionally, 48 planning grants totaling more than $3.8 million will go to organizations in hard-hit areas that do not have health centers to help them develop new service delivery sites.

New health center sites must meet federal requirements for governance, community involvement, quality of care and financial feasibility.

Overseen by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) at HHS, the health center system served more than 17 million medically underserved people in 2008, up from 10 million in 2001. Since the economic downturn began, the health center patient population has grown by another 1 million people – a third of them children. By law, patients are accepted regardless of their ability to pay.

HRSA’s Health Center Program funds a national network of more than 1,100 community, migrant, homeless and public housing health center grantees. These organizations provide healthcare at more than 7,500 clinical sites, ranging from large medical facilities to mobile vans.