Tucson, Ariz. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today congratulated El Rio Santa Cruz Neighborhood Health Center in Tucson on receiving $5.5 million in development grants from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through an Affordable Care Act program. The funding includes $5 million from a “building capacity” grant and a $494,638 “immediate facility improvement” grant, both of which were announced as part of $728 million in grants to support 398 renovation and construction projects released today by Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius.

The larger grant is for long-term expansion, and the smaller grant is to help pay for pressing infrastructure needs. For more information about the grants, contact El Rio at (520) 792-9890.

“Community health centers are one of the best investments we can make in any sector of the economy,” Grijalva said. “Expanding to meet the health needs of Southern Arizona means more jobs, less time lost to sickness and injury, and access to quality health care for families who can’t always afford expensive treatments. This is a terrific boost to the entire region, and I sincerely thank HHS for meeting our need with the appropriate resources.”

According to a new report released today, the health care law has supported 190 construction and renovation projects at health centers nationwide and the creation of 67 new health center sites across the country. Funding through the law will support more than 485 new health center construction and renovation projects and the creation of 245 new community health center sites over the next two years. Overall, since the beginning of 2009, employment at community health centers nationwide has increased by 15 percent.