BELFAST —The Penobscot Community Health Center is receiving $1,322,000 from the federal government to help construct a public health dental practice, co-located with the primary care space.

The announcement was made by U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, in a March 25 news release. Sen. Collins said she had secured $2. 4 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for requests that will support improving access to health care throughout Maine in Fiscal Year 2024.

The funding derives from the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill. Congress has passed the bill, and the President has signed it into law.  

“Increased access to health care for Mainers across the state – in both rural and urban communities – is vital,” said Collins, in the release.  “As Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I worked hard to secure this funding, which will help make it easier for Maine health care providers to meet residents where they are.”

In addition to the Belfast project, other funding has been made to:

Health Care In-Reach Mobile Access Project

Recipient: Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter

Project Location: Waterville

Amount Secured: $75,000

Project Purpose: To purchase a mobile health unit to serve unsheltered individuals in Mid-Maine.

Northern Light Telehealth

Recipient: VNA Home Health & Hospice d/b/a Northern Light Home Care and Hospice

Project Location: Statewide

Amount Secured: $1,000,000

Project Purpose: To acquire telehealth devices for hospice and home health patients.