Greater Sioux Community Health Center
The Iowa Department of Public Health awarded the Community Health Centers Incubator Grant to the Greater Sioux Community Health Center, Inc. The $650,000 grant is awarded to establish a primary health care center in Sioux County to help them qualify for federal funding. The health center will be located at 334 1st Ave NW, Sioux Center in a newly remodeled facility and is expected to be open to serve families within 120 days of receiving funding.
The Greater Sioux Community Health Center (GSCHC) will not be a free clinic. Services will be offered on a sliding fee scale based on a client's ability to pay. Each visit will have a minimum fee, similar to a co-pay. The health center will be open to serve all members of the community.
The dream of a local community health center began in 2001 when the need to increase health care access for the uninsured and underinsured in Sioux County became apparent. Sioux County's increasing poverty rate, minority population, low rate of first trimester prenatal care, lack of affordable dental care, and high rate of elderly residents all combined to make Sioux County eligible to apply for federal funding to establish the Greater Sioux Community Health Center.
The 20 member steering committee along with a grant writing team, applied for the federal U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grant in December 2006. While GSCHC did not receive the grant, the application scored high enough for the project to qualify for state funding.
Dick Sievers, Executive Director; Cindy Harpenau, WIC/MCH Director; and Melissa Juhl, Development Director; were members of the initial steering committee and now have become GSCHC Board Members. All three will continue to serve on the board, assist the new Executive Director in opening the health center with state funds, and will continue to apply for long-term federal funding for the GSCHC.
Health centers first began providing services in the United States in 1965. Today, community health centers are the health care home for 14 million Americans at more than 3,000 clinics across the country.
If you are interested in more information about the Greater Sioux Community Health Center or are interested in someone coming to make a presentation to your organization, please contact Melissa Juhl at 712-786-3480 or at mjuhl@mid-siouxopportunity.org.
Please click here for more information Greater Sioux Health Center.
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