Press Releases

LOWELL, MA – Today, during a tour of the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center’s (GLFHC) Lawrence Vaccination Site, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) joined with the facility’s leadership to applaud President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan and investments in community health centers on the front lines of the vaccination effort.

“The hardworking folks here at Greater Lawrence Family Health Center have gone above and beyond to get our community through this pandemic and save lives. Their commitment to serving others continues as they work to administer vaccinations to thousands of eligible Lawrence and Methuen residents. The American Rescue Plan and President Biden’s Community Health Center Vaccination Program will ensure that these heroes are getting the support and resources from Washington that they need to continue doing their jobs safely and efficiently. It’s because of them and this relief package that we can see the light at the end of this crisis,” said Congresswoman Trahan, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee.

“It is evident that Health Centers are a significant part of the national vaccine network because of the strong connection between primary care and public health in our communities. It is consistent with what we do every day for our patients and the communities we serve. Greater Lawrence Family Health Center is proud to be one of 250 Health Centers that have been selected across the country by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) to be part of President Biden’s plan to expand access to the COVID Vaccine for vulnerable populations,” said John Silva, President and CEO of Greater Lawrence Family Health Center. “This program will provide a weekly supply of vaccines directly from the federal government to Community Health Centers. This will be in addition to the doses currently provided by the state and will enhance outreach efforts and provide additional expansion of vaccine rollout. The program is aimed at providing additional support for underserved communities and those disproportionately affected by COVID-19. It also ensures there is equity in the vaccine rollout. GLFHC was selected specifically for the work it does in Lawrence and throughout the Merrimack Valley providing health care access to minority communities as well as special populations including the homeless, public housing residents, and patients with limited English proficiency.”

Community health centers like GLFHC, Lowell Community Health Center, and Community Health Connections will be recipients of considerable federal investments from the American Rescue Plan. The relief package, which has overwhelming public support and has been endorsed by Republican, Democratic, and Independent state and local officials, provides $27 billion to address health disparities and protect vulnerable populations for the duration of the pandemic.

That includes $7.6 billion in funding to further support COVID-19 response efforts at community health centers. Given GLFHC’s status as a Teaching Health Center – the first of its kind in the nation – it also stands to receive additional American Rescue Plan investments from the $330 million allocated for Teaching Health Centers to continue training medical professionals who serve the most vulnerable in our communities. The legislation also establishes a long overdue national COVID-19 vaccination plan and provides more than $20 billion to improve the administration and distribution of vaccines.

During the visit to the vaccination site, Trahan discussed GLFHC’s participation in the Biden-Harris administration’s recently announced Community Health Center Vaccination Program, which provides additional vaccines – separate from state allocations – to ensure that traditionally underserved communities are not left behind during distribution. This week marked the first week of GLFHC’s participation in the new program, during which they received a 2,000-dose shipment from the federal government to prioritize low-income individuals in Lawrence and Methuen. Trahan hailed the announcement of the Community Health Center Vaccination Program and stands prepared to support GLFHC and other Massachusetts health centers participating in the federal program.

Since opening vaccination sites at their Lawrence and Methuen sites, GLFHC has administered more than 4,500 vaccines to eligible patients and individuals – a number expected to increase exponentially with continued support from the Community Health Center Vaccination Program. The American Rescue Plan will further enhance GLFHC’s ability to care for COVID-positive patients and vaccinate as many people in Lawrence and Methuen as possible.

Trahan supported passage of the American Rescue Plan last week when it was considered before the House of Representatives. The package is currently pending before the United States Senate, where it is expected to receive a vote over the weekend.

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