Durbin, Duckworth Announce Expansion of Illinois Community Health Centers Included in Federal Vaccination Program
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced the expansion of Illinois Community Health Centers (CHCs) that will be eligible to directly receive vaccines through the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Federally Qualified Health Center Program for COVID-19 Vaccination. The program will expand its reach to 35 CHCs across Illinois. Vaccines sent to Illinois CHCs through this new federal program are in addition to the existing weekly federal allotments to Illinois and Chicago, which have now increased more than 80 percent since President Biden took office.
After Illinois CHCs missed out on the first phase of this program, Durbin and Duckworth wrote the Biden Administration urging that Illinois CHCs be prioritized immediately, in order to get more vaccines to Illinois and address the unconscionable racial and ethnic health disparities that have been compounded by the pandemic. Durbin and Duckworth announced the first nine Illinois CHCs that were eligible last month.
“Community Health Centers are a vital resource for so many Illinoisans, especially in underserved urban and rural communities that have been disproportionately devastated by COVID-19,” Durbin said. “After Senator Duckworth and I advocated for Illinois health centers to be included in this invaluable HHS program, I’m pleased that it is expanding to more health centers across the state. Today’s announcement will help bring more vaccines to Illinois and ensure a more equitable distribution across our state, especially in communities of color.”
“I’m glad that the Biden administration has continued to act on our request to include more Illinois community health centers in the federal COVID-19 vaccination program,” Duckworth said. “After working with Senator Durbin on this, I’m pleased that several more Illinois community health centers are now set to become eligible to directly receive and administer vaccines and I’m hopeful that we’ll continue to see more shots in arms in an equitable way that helps all Illinoisans and brings our state closer to recovery from this awful pandemic.”
The following Illinois CHCs will be eligible to receive vaccines in the next round of the FQHC vaccine program over the coming weeks, to further expand access across our communities:
- Rural Health Inc. (Anna)
- Community Health & Emergency Services, Inc. (Cairo)
- Macoupin County (Carlinville)
- Shawnee Health Service and Development Corporation (Carterville)
- Alivio Medical Center, Inc. (Chicago)
- Asian Human Services Family Health Center (Chicago)
- Beloved Community Family Wellness Center (Chicago)
- Chicago Family Health Center, Inc. (Chicago)
- Christian Community Health Center (Chicago)
- Friend Family Health Center, Inc. (Chicago)
- Heartland International Health Centers (Chicago)
- Howard Brown Health Center (Chicago)
- Inner City Muslim Action Network (Chicago)
- Lawndale Christian Health Center (Chicago)
- The Near North Health Service Corporation (Chicago)
- Prime Care Community Health, Inc. (Chicago)
- TCA Health, Inc. NFP (Chicago)
- Community Health Improvement Center (Decatur)
- Family Christian Health Center (Harvey)
- Will County Community Health Center (Joliet)
- Pillars Community Health (La Grange)
- PCC Community Wellness Center (Oak Park)
- Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness, Inc. (Olympia Fields)
- Crusaders Central Clinic Association (Rockford)
- Southern Illinois University (Springfield)
- Lake County (Waukegan)
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