Schatz: Oahu Health Centers To Receive Nearly $4 Million To Expand Telehealth, Connect More Families With Doctors
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced that the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center and Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services on Oahu will receive nearly $4 million to expand and improve their virtual care programs, including telehealth. The two health centers, which serve more than 47,000 people, have utilized telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure patients receive comprehensive primary care services.
“Telehealth lets people safely get the care they need, wherever they are. This new federal funding will help us expand telehealth in Hawai‘i, making it easier for more families to see their doctors and stay healthy,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The new federal funding is provided through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Optimizing Virtual Care (OVC) program. OVC funds help community health centers serving underserved communities and vulnerable populations develop, implement, and evaluate virtual care programs including telehealth to improve patient access to high-quality health care. Specifically, OVC funds support the implementation of virtual health services, staff education and training, patient engagement and outreach, and the purchase of equipment and supplies, among other initiatives. Strategies developed by the two community health centers may serve as a model to be adopted more broadly. The total funding is as follows:
- $2,000,000 for the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center
- $1,998,775 for Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services
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