Representative GT Thompson receives award at Keystone Rural Health Consortia

RIDGWAY--United States Congressman Represenativive Glenn (GT) Thompson was in Ridgway on Tuesday to accept a Keystone Rural Heath Consortia award.

"On behalf of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) and the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers, Keystone Rural Health Consortia, Inc. thanks Representative Thompson for his support of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) over the past year," said Kristie Bennardi, RN, Chief Executive Officer/Chief Financial Officer of Keystone Rural Health Consortia, Inc. "This award recognizes Thompson, who took multiple actions on behalf of FQHCS, including signing the FY22 Health Center Appropriations Act, highlighting the work of health centers in traditional and on social media, leading CHC Caucus efforts, and voting in favor of and co-sponsoring the American Rescue Plan, CONNECT for Health Act of 2021, PROTECT 340B Act, and MOBILE Health Care Act."

Keystone Rural Health Consortia, Inc. is a Federally Qualified Health Center with centers located in Cameron, Elk, and McKean counties. Across their numerous sites, they provide care to almost 10,000 medically underserved patients. Their patients' income levels and insurances vary from those without any healthcare coverage to those with commercial insurance. They recently opened a Pediatric specialty clinic and have a new Behavioral Health suite located in the Ridgway office.

As the state primary care association (PCA), the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC) represents and supports the largest network of primary health care providers in the commonwealth. This network of FQHCs and FQHC Look-Alikes serves more than 917,000 patients annually at more than 350 sites in Pennsylvania's underserved rural and urban areas.

NACHC is the national membership organization for FQHCS, which serve as the health home for twenty-nine million people, including one in five Medicaid beneficiaries and one in three people living in poverty. It is the collective mission and mandate of the 1,400 health centers around the country to provide access to high-quality, cost-effective primary and preventative medical care, as well as dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, and other support services that facilitate access to care for people located in medically underserved areas, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.

Representative Thompson took a tour of the facility and met with staff and medical providers of the new Pediatric and Behavioral Health Center located at the Ridgway campus in the North Central Building on Ridgmont Drive. He praised them for their vital work throughout the pandemic and their continuing commitment to rural Pennsylvania, providing services ranging from essential Health Care to Behavioral Health, Dentistry, Pediatrics, and now Substance Abuse disorders.

"I thank them for this honor," said Thompson, "But they are the ones who should be thanked every day for all the services they provide rural Pennsylvanians."