Rock Island Today

The Illinois Capital Development Board will soon release a $329,250 grant earmarked for the Whiteside County Community Health Clinic (WCCHC).

Plans for the contribution were announced by state Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) and state Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Andalusia).

“I am extremely proud of the great work the Whiteside County Health Department does for the underserved population in the county as well as the surrounding areas,” McCombie said in a press release. “The WCCHC was forward thinking when they took on this project in 2014, and it is now providing 13,000 patients with affordable healthcare. The release of these funds will allow the WCCHC to move forward on their next capital initiative.”

Rep. Tony McCombie

Gov. Bruce Rauner also celebrated the news, adding in the press release “community healthcare grants like this one aim to provide increased access to healthcare in underserved areas. Residents in Whiteside County will benefit greatly from the release of these funds.”

In addition, Anderson saluted the news as a necessity for rural areas like Whiteside County.

“The releasing of funds for the Whiteside County Health Department will go a long way in helping the citizens of this area,” he said in the release.

A $1.02 million grant for construction of the 5,000-square foot building was first issued in 2014, with construction starting in 2015.

In 2016, the facility started serving patients, but with the state locked in a two-year period of no state budget, final payment for the building had not been received, the release said.

The federally funded clinic provides primary and preventive medical, dental and behavioral health care to the residents of Whiteside County and the surrounding areas at a sliding cost where no patient is denied service, according to the release.

In 2016, WCCHC served almost 13,000 patients and received more than 50,000 visits.