On May 4, 2016 HHS secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced over $260M in funding to 290 community health centers in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico for facility renovation, expansion or construction.  Valley Healthcare System, Inc. in Columbus was one of six Georgia health center organizations to receive funding of $1million.  The award will allow Valley Healthcare System to build additional clinical space at its Talbotton medical care facility.  The project proposes to expand access and continuity of care to critically needed services such as pharmacy and radiology and provide the appropriate space for the requisite administrative and existing clinical and dental functions.  Talbot County lacks many important resources that would improve the health of residents in the county.  The county does not have a hospital nor does it have any specialists or pharmacies. The average drive time to the nearest hospital , as reported by the Talbot County EMS, is 45 minutes.  This investment  will serve to help Valley Healthcare along with community partners design public/private strategies that meet the health care needs of the residents of the county.
 
“Providing funding to help health centers renovate their facilities will allow them to provide care to more patients,” said HRSA Acting Associate Administrator Jim Macrae.  “Perhaps more importantly though, heath centers will now be able to provide more  health services in one location, better meeting the needs of their communities.”