Rep. Lee Announces $2 Million Grant for FirstMed Health and Wellness Centers in Southern Nevada

LAS VEGAS – U.S. Rep. Susie Lee (Nev.-03) announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has granted over $2 million in funding for FirstMed Health and Wellness Centers in southern Nevada. This grant will go toward FirstMed's Community Health Center (CHC) efforts on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, treating and serving Nevadans largely from underserved and vulnerable communities.

"This grant will help our FirstMed health centers treat and care for Nevadans who have been most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Rep Lee. "Obviously, health care providers are facing an unprecedented crisis and CHCs are on the front lines of this fight, especially in our nation's most underserved communities. As I fight to secure more pandemic relief in Congress, grants like this one will help Community Health Centers keep their doors open, meet the demands of this public health emergency, and ensure long-term stability to deliver reliable, essential health care. I'll continue to work day in and day out to ensure our state has the support it needs from our federal government."

BACKGROUND: CHC funding has been one of Rep. Lee's top priorities in Congress. Health centers like FirstMed are gravely underfunded, which became an even more severe issue once the pandemic hit last year. Rep. Lee made sure robust funding for CHCs was included in the annual spending and COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress in December, including:

• $1.68 billion for FY 2021 in annual appropriations ($57 million more than last year)
• $4 billion per year for FY 2021-2023 for the reauthorized Community Health Center Fund
• Access to the $3 billion Provider Relief Fund to offset COVID-19 revenue losses