Federal funding secured for health centers in Salinas and Watsonville

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION-TV) -- Salud Para La Gente and Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas are receiving a combined total of $3.7 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of the Health Center Program.

“Federally Qualified Health Centers like Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas and Salud Para La Gente provide critical health care services to some of our most vulnerable community members," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren.

U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren announced the grants, providing $2,214,146 to the Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas to allow the agency to continue offering healthcare services to people in the Salinas Valley area.

$1,538,701 was approved for Salud Para La Gente to offer healthcare services to residents in Watsonville and other parts of Santa Cruz County.

According to Lofgren's office, the Health Center Program supports community-based patient-directed nonprofit organizations that provide primary and preventative health services to underserved populations in the U.S.