NEW YORKERS EXPLAIN WHY HRSA FUNDING TO COMBAT OPIOID ABUSE IS IMPORTANT

New York, New York, Sept. 18, 2017 -- “At Betances, our mission and our belief is that quality health care is a basic human right.” These words served as Julia Tsien’s, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Betances Health Center, opening statement at a community briefing held last week to announce the awarding of $17 million from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to multiple recipients in Region II (comprised of New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands). Ronald Moss, the Regional Administrator for Region II of the HRSA, made the announcement. Two patients that are currently being served by Betances Health Center in New York then shared their patient experience on how Betances made a difference in their lives.

In total, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded more than $200 million dollars to 1,178 health centers and 13 rural health organizations across the United States to increase access to substance abuse and mental health services.

Betances Health Center, one of the facilities receiving this grant, organized a community briefing at their Lower East Side facility in Manhattan directly after the announcement. The stories conveyed by their patients further explained the need for this funding.

Cheryl stated that “During my 25 years of addiction, no one has treated me like they do in Betances,” and further stated that the funding is needed to help people like her friends that have died from opioid addiction. 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Since 1999, the number of overdose deaths involving opioids (including prescription opioids and heroin) quadrupled.

Betances was founded in 1970, operating out of a grassroots mobile health unit, bringing urgently needed medical services to the lower east side’s medically indigent and homeless. Today, after 47 years, Betances has emerged as a leader of community-based primary care, serving about 5,000 individuals within the community. Betances services include primary care, comprised of pediatrics, family and internal medicine; family planning; senior care; HIV-AIDS treatment; testing, counseling, cardiology, OB/GYN, prenatal care, podiatry, behavioral health (including limited substance abuse counseling), complementary and alternative care, as well as nutrition and enabling services.   

Danny stated that after being diagnosed with HIV, he went to the doctor, “but I also needed something else, I needed the time that Betances gave me” when discussing the importance of the substance and mental health services provided by Betances.

Founded in 1970, Betances Health Center works to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families from underserved, and ethnically rich communities by providing comprehensive, affordable health services. It was distinguished by Healthfirst as a “Top Performing Federally Qualified Health Center” in quality initiatives in 2014 and 2015, and in 2017, was recognized by the National Association of Community Health Centers and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for being one of 29 centers out of 277 who achieved greater than 70% performance on clinical measures that improve health and impact overall health and health care costs.

Julia Tsien, Interim Chief Executive of Batances Health Center. Ronald Moss, the Regional Administrator for Region II of the HRSA, and Julia Tsien shake hands.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c6fdbfc1-ef63-42ad-9230-57a16b7cba82

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a66e0047-1269-41c2-9373-276a5ca320b4

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cc38a241-5e04-43aa-b232-1bbd21ae35d0

Isabel Garcia-Ajofrin
Betances Health Center
(212) 807-1337
[email protected]