Wes Hickman (202 224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864 250-1417)

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced Little River Medical Center in Little River will receive a $949,186 grant, and Palmetto Health Alliance will receive a $497,455 grant to improve access to healthcare in their communities. The Community Access Program (CAP) grants increase access to healthcare for uninsured and underinsured patients. CAP grants are designed to increase access to health care by eliminating fragmented service delivery, improving efficiencies among safety net providers, and by encouraging greater private sector involvement. Many CAP models provide for integration of substance abuse and mental health treatment into the primary care model and have as collaborative members social and human services organizations as well as the faith community. “The skyrocketing costs of healthcare and health insurance have left many South Carolinians without access to quality care,” said Graham, a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. “These programs represent a joint effort by private companies and the federal government to provide healthcare and improve lives.” The grants were awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ####