Posted on: Wednesday, August 27, 2003

Grant to pay for Moloka'i community health clinic

Associated Press

Moloka'i will soon get its first community health center thanks to a federal grant to help low-income and uninsured Hawai'i residents, U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye announced yesterday.

A separate grant will expand community healthcare on Kaua'i.

The money is part of $1.6 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"Thousands of people unable to afford healthcare services will get the care they need," Inouye said.

The $565,750 grant will go to Moloka'i Ohana Health Care to fund a clinic that will open in Kaunakakai.

The Moloka'i clinic will serve an estimated 3,400 people during its first year, federal officials said.

Hoola Lahui Hawai'i, which operates the Kaua'i Community Health Center in Waimea, will receive $629,021 to open a clinic in Kapa'a that is expected to serve 2,500 people. The Kaua'i health center will also receive a grant of $101,450 to develop a pharmacy network for all the community health centers statewide.

Two other grants will fund community health projects on Maui and O'ahu.

The Community Clinic of Maui in Kahului will use its $150,000 grant to expand mental health and substance-abuse services.

And the Kalihi-Palama Health Center in Honolulu will receive $100,000 for dental services and $40,000 for caring for people with chronic diseases and conditions.