Press Releases

Today, Congressman Matt Cartwright (PA-08) announced $334,000 in federal grants from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The $334,000 Health Resources and Services Administration’s (an agency of HHS) award is a supplemental allocation from last year’s grant titled “Expanding Access to Quality Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Services (SUD-MH).” It was designed to increase access to substance use disorder and mental health services, by assisting health centers in implementing and advancing evidence-based strategies that best meet the substance use disorder and mental health needs of the populations they serve.

The following centers received this supplemental award:

·         Scranton Primary Health care Center, Inc - $167,000

·         Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers - $167,000

“Community health centers are a vital source of timely, quality health care to children and families in our communities,” said Rep. Cartwright a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “I continue to be a strong advocate for federal funding that ensures centers like both of these, and other centers across Northeastern Pennsylvania, will have what they need to continue the critical work they do.”

"By integrating Behavioral Health into our Primary Care setting, patients are able to get the help they need while visiting the health center for their primary health care and or dental needs,” said Joseph H. Hollander Executive Director, Scranton Primary Health Care Center. “This latest grant will allow us to hire a second full-time Licensed Clinical Social Worker to better serve our patients and eliminate the need to refer them out for services. On behalf of Scranton Primary Health Care, we are extremely grateful to Congressman Matt Cartwright for his assistance and support of our efforts.”

“Over the last 13 months Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers has utilized this line item to add five behavior health therapists, including Dr. Tuhin Gupta MD, an adult and child psychiatrist who also specializes in addictive medicine, as well as a psychiatric nurse practitioner, said Frederick Jackson Executive Director, Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers. “Without continued support of the Community Health Center program and Representative Matt Cartwright, the development of these and other medical, dental, and behavioral health services essential to Wayne, Pike, and upper Lackawanna Counties would not be possible. We are extremely grateful for Rep. Cartwright's support.”