Summary of Senate Bill 189, 2004?

Governor Ehrlich’s • Legislative Initiatives Health Care Initiatives Federally Qualified Health Centers Grant Program Governor Ehrlich recognizes the critical role that Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) play in the medical care for medically underserved Marylanders. In Fiscal Year 2002, those FQHCs served 132,000 people, including the insured, uninsured, ana Medicaid patients. Maryland has 54 medically underserved areas in the State, seven of which are entire counties. Governor Ehrlich is proposing legislation that establishes a capital bond program to expand and improve FQHCs in Maryland to improve the access and quality of care in Maryland. • Federal goals are to add 1 ,200 new or expanded sites nationwide to improve access to quality health care to Americans in need. • Maryland has thirteen FQHCs in over fifty locations. • As of September 2003, Maryland was one of only fifteen states that did not provide any dedicated capital funding for FQHCs, and some of • Maryland’s FQHCs have significant capital needs. • This legislation would provide up to 50% matching grant funds capped at $500,000 for qualified FQHCs, thereby making Maryland more comparable with other states regarding the development of FQHC care for people in need. • The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene would administer the FQHC Bond Program in a manner similar to the existing bond programs for adult day care and community facilities administering substance abuse treatment, mental health, and developmental disabilities program. • The Governor has submitted a proposed capital budget of $2.4 million for this program for Fiscal Year 2005 that will fund five projects in the first year of this program.