Federal funding at Five Rivers Health Centers having big impact in community

Five Rivers Health Centers, the 10th largest federally-qualified health center in Ohio, is on track to receive more than $7 million in federal funding this year, part of the more than $24 million in federal funds they have received since 2020.

“The number of federal dollars that travel through Five Rivers is extraordinary, and their custodial aspect of that, how they turn those dollars into impact in our community, is a great story of success,” said U.S. Rep. Mike Turner.

Five Rivers Health Centers, one of 58 federally qualified health centers in Ohio, sees more than 27,000 patients a year. The organization also received more than $9 million in new market tax credits through three community development entities for its $31 million Edgemont campus, which Turner recently visited.

The 84,000-square-feet facility at 721 Miami Chapel Road opened in May 2022. Services housed within the new three-story facility include women’s health, pediatrics, dental, internal medicine, pharmacy, sports medicine, psychiatry, acupuncture, massage therapy, addiction medicine, nutritional services, transportation, administration, and billing.

Most of Five Rivers’ patients live in west and northwest Dayton, a contributing factor to the facility’s Edgemont location. The health centers see patients of all ages, including some without insurance, who are charged on a sliding-fee scale. More than two-thirds of the patients they serve have Medicaid. About 12% have Medicare, 9% have commercial insurance and 11% are self-pay, or uninsured.

“We’re here to watch the incredible transformation that has occurred and to thank the Five Rivers Health Centers for the work that they’re doing here—not just providing the necessary health services for the community, but making a transformative impact here in the Edgemont community,” Turner said. “In addition, the number of federal dollars that travel through Five Rivers is extraordinary and their custodial aspect of that—how they turn those dollars into impact in our community—is a great story of success.”

The breakdown of federal funding Five Rivers Health Centers has received, which includes COVID-related funding, includes $6,394,141 in 2020; $7,813,850 in 2021; and $7,467,859 in 2022. Five Rivers Health Centers has received $2,328,198 through April this year. McFarlane-El said they expect to receive a total of approximately $7 million by the end of this year.

“Five Rivers has a number of facilities. This one is a great example of how you can impact a community, but every day at Five Rivers, there are people’s lives that are impacted with health needs through out our region that are met using important federal dollars and leveraging those so they can impact our community,” Turner said.

“We just want to say thank you to Congressman Turner for coming,” said Five Rivers Health Centers CEO Gina McFarlane-El. “We are just beyond excited to have your support, not just for the federal dollars, but for your verbal support of all the requests that we’ve made of your office.”

Gina McFarlane, CEO of Five Rivers Health Centers, and Congressman Mike Turner discussed how federal funds help the health center serve patients throughout the Miami Valley on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Five Rivers Health Center has received $2.3 million in federal funding so far this year. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

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Aimee Hancock contributed to this story.

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