Athens Neighborhood Health Center has received a $75,000 quality improvement award from Health Resources and Services Administration. The grant was announced at the center’s open house on Thursday, Aug. 16 in celebration of “National Health Centers Week.”

The award was part of a $125 million grant given from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to HRSA to distribute to 1,352 community health centers across the country.

The Athens Neighborhood Health Center provides affordable health care to medically underserved, uninsured and underinsured individuals in the Athens community. Patients include children living in poverty, low-income families, elderly persons on fixed incomes, homeless individuals and persons with chronic illnesses, according to the center’s website.

Last year, the center served over 7,000 patients. More than 95 percent of those patients are at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, said Lisa Mariani, the HRSA regional administrator.

“It’s great to get out and cheer on the great work that health centers are doing,” Mariano said. “We can’t emphasize enough what these centers are doing and providing services to those that need it most.”

Richardson.

In addition, HRSA also recognized Jennifer Richardson, the center’s director of marketing and outreach, with a Health Quality Leader Certificate of Achievement. The certificate is awarded to center leaders who are among the top 30 percent of all community health centers in terms of clinical outcomes in 2017, Mariani said.

Guests at the event included Athens Neighborhood Health Center staff, board members, HERSA representatives, and local and federal government representatives such as Mayor Nancy Denson, U.S. Rep. Jody Hice (R-Greensboro), Clarke County School Superintendent Demond Means and Athens-Clarke County commissioners Sharyn Dickerson, Melissa Link and Jerry NeSmith.

Denson and Hice both gave speeches recognizing the center for its outreach. Denson proclaimed the week of Aug.12–17 as National Health Centers Week in Athens-Clarke County.

Hice—who rarely appears in public in Athens—declined to answer questions and quickly left the event after speaking.