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Politics & Government

New Health Center Coming to Sulphur Springs

Tampa Family Health Centers breaks ground on new facility.

A nonprofit organization broke ground today on a new community health center in Sulphur Springs. Tampa Family Health Centers (TFHC) is building the facility next to the , at the corner of Nebraska Avenue and Bird Street. The center will provide medical and dental services to neighborhood residents with Medicare and Medicaid, as well as those who lack health insurance or are underinsured.

Board members and local government representatives gathered to wield ceremonial shovels and declare their intention to bring health care to the people.

“Health care is not a privilege,” said State Representative Janet Cruz, whose district encompasses the new center. “This is America. We are a civilized country. We take care of people.”

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Cruz said that she had personal experience of the importance of community health centers. She became pregnant when she was 16 years old.

“Here I was with a child at age 16, with no health insurance,” said Cruz. “I was in high school.”

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Cruz went to a county health center and received the care she needed for herself and her daughter. She said that she received professional care and was treated with respect, and that TFHC provides that same quality of care.

Eric Perez, Board Chair of TFHC, pointed out the economic benefit of the project. As layoffs and unemployment continue to affect the community, Perez said, “Tampa Family Health Centers is expanding, creating more jobs. The recipients of those benefits are the people.”

U.S. Representative Kathy Castor echoed that sentiment, saying that TFHC hires people from the local neighborhood to staff the centers.

“That's something to celebrate,” she said.

Castor said that support from the federal government was crucial to the success of projects like the new center. She said that although some people aren't happy with the new federal health care law, it provided for a grant to help build the new center.

“It's making a real difference right here in the heart of Tampa,” said Castor.

In addition, according to TFHC, the new center will be a Federally Qualified Health Center. New doctors who agree to work for a number of years in such facilities can have their student loans covered by the federal government, and the centers can thus attract highly qualified medical professionals.

Charles Bottoms, President of TFHC, said that the center would be built quickly, with a target completion date of February 2012. He said he expected the construction to go smoothly because the building is to be an exact replica of the TFHC facility at 22nd Street and Osborne Avenue, and because “we have the best construction team in Tampa.”

Chris Bailey of Murray Construction said his team was eager to get to work. “As soon as these cars clear out,” he said, “the building pad will be built.”

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