NYC Health Centers To Get $22M For Coronavirus Testing: Senators

NEW YORK, NY — Community health centers in New York City will receive emergency funds from the federal government to bolster coronavirus testing capacity, New York's senate representatives announced this week.

Thirty-seven health centers will receive more than $22 million in emergency funding to purchase and administer coronavirus tests at a community level, Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand said. The largest recipients of aid include the city's public hospital system NYC Health + Hospitals, Sunset Park Health Council, Urban Health Plan, Oda Primary Health Care Center, the Institute For Family Health, Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, Bronx Lebanon and the Bronx Community Health Network — which all received more than $1 million each.

"Testing is imperative to our COVID-19 response and to the safe and successful reopening of New York’s businesses, schools, sporting events, and so much more," Schumer said in a statement. "This federal funding increases testing capacity in our state, will help beat back COVID-19, and contain a possible resurgence of the virus."

Both New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo have consistently stressed the need for federal aid in expanding the city and state's testing capacities. Social distancing measures have resulted in fewer coronavirus infections, but large-scale test and trace programs will be needed to recover from the outbreak, city and state officials said. Both de Blasio and Cuomo criticized federal lawmakers for a lack of direct aid for cities and states from April's CARES Act.

"To contain the spread of this disease and safely reopen schools and businesses, we must make COVID-19 testing widely available for all Americans," Gillibrand said in a statement. “Our state has faced more cases of COVID-19 than any other state and this critical funding will make testing and treatment more accessible in New York City. As we fight to flatten the curve, I will continue to advocate for the resources needed during this pandemic."

New York City Health + Hospitals will lead the citywide initiative to conduct 20,000 tests a day by May 25 at 33 testing sites by late May and 50,000 tests per day at more than 300 sites in June, de Blasio announced recently.

Here's a full list of health centers receiving federal aid:

1. The Addabbo Joseph P Family Health Center, Inc. $753,304
2. Apicha Community Health Center: $183,784
3. Beacon Christian Community Health Center: $160,174
4. Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Center, Inc.: $337,789
5. The Betances Health Center: $178,894
6. Bronx Community Health Network: $1,813,999
7. Bronx Lebanon Integrated Service System, Inc.: $1,728,439
8. Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center: $207,259
9. Brownsville Community Development Corporation: $443,719
10. Care For The Homeless: $215,884
11. Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, Inc.: $1,037,914
12. Community Health Center of Richmond, Inc.: $271,339
13. Community Health Initiatives Inc.: $150,679
14. Community Health Project, Inc.: $131,929
15. Community Healthcare Network, Inc.: $915,484
16. Damian Family Care Centers, Inc.: $282,049
17. East Harlem Council For Human Services, Inc.: $268,219
18. Ezra Medical Center: $507,874
19. The Floating Hospital, Inc.: $382,489
20. HealthCare Choices NY, Inc.: $161,254
21. Heritage Health and Housing, Inc.: $164,494
22. Housing Works Health Services III, Inc.: $222,709
23. Institute For Family Health, The: $1,822,414
24. La Casa de Salud Inc.: $199,264
25. Montefiore Medical Center: $237,949
26. Morris Heights Health Center, Inc.: $942,229
27. New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation: $2,006,419
28. Oda Primary Health Care Center, Inc.: $1,018,939
29. Project Renewal, Inc.: $239,584
30. Ryan William F Community Health Center, Inc.: $854,749
31. Settlement Health and Medical Services, Inc.: $302,314
32. Sunset Park Health Council, Inc.: $2,199,139
33. Under 21: $117,019
34. Union Community Health Center, Inc.: $638,464
35. Upper Room Aids Ministry, Inc.: Adult Day Health Care Center: $169,729
36. Urban Health Plan, Inc.: $1,472,179
37. Vocational Instruction Project Community Services, Inc.: $135,904