Rep. Malliotakis Announces Federal Grant For Staten Island’s Own Community Health Center Of Richmond Healthy Start Initiative

Malliotakis Announces Federal Grant for Community Health Center of Richmond’s Healthy Start Initiative

Aims to improve health outcomes for women and children before, during, and after pregnancy

(STATEN ISLAND, NY) – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) visited the Community Health Center of Richmond to announce the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will award the center $1,144,121 in federal grant funding. The grant will be used for the center’s Healthy Start (HS) Initiative which aims to improve health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy, and reduce disparities in rates of infant death and adverse perinatal outcomes in high-risk communities where infant mortality rates are at least 1.5 times the national average.

“We’re extremely grateful for the medical team at the Community Health Center of Richmond who provide our community a wide range of maternal and infant health services,” Malliotakis said. “With this funding, the center will be able to increase its capacity to serve more pregnant women in our community and support new mothers and infants through key milestones in the childbirth process. Where a person lives should not dictate the level of care they receive and the medical professionals at Community Health Center of Richmond go above and beyond to ensure all Staten Islanders have equal access to high-quality patient-centered care.”

The Community Health Center of Richmond, which was established with support from Staten Island University Hospital and Richmond University Medical Center, is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that’s been participating in the HS Initiative since 2014. Last year, the center provided pre-conception, pre-natal and post-partum care for over 600 women and over 400 babies under 18 months old, exceeding the goals set by the HS program.

“Thank you to Congresswoman Malliotakis for her continued leadership and support to improve the health outcomes for women, children, and families in our Staten Island community and beyond,” said Dr. Henry Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of the Community Health Center of Richmond.

The center currently has four locations on Staten Island and is planning to open a fifth location in New Dorp in 2025. In 2026, the center’s Port Richmond location will be expanded and replaced with a location on Grove Avenue to accommodate primary care, dental, and behavioral health services along with a birthing center.

Banner Image: Rep. Malliotakis with participants in the Healthy Start Initiative Program. Image Credit – Rep. Malliotakis

Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis

Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis was sworn in on January 3, 2021 to represent Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn. Prior to serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis was elected to the New York State Assembly on November 2, 2010, defeating a two-term incumbent. In the Assembly, she served as Minority Whip and the ranking minority member of the Assembly Committee on Governmental Employees. For five terms, Congresswoman Malliotakis fought to restore ethics in Albany, expand transit service in her district, improve programs for senior citizens, reform education and improve New York’s economic climate by reducing the tax burden on small businesses and residents. A cornerstone of her tenure was helping her community recover and rebuild following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. In addition to advocating for these same issues in Washington, Congresswoman Malliotakis is acutely focused on securing New York’s fair share of federal mass transit funding, which would go towards expanding transportation services and easing traffic congestion, while also championing public safety by supporting our nation’s law enforcement officers. Congresswoman Malliotakis is the daughter of immigrants, her father from Greece and her mother a Cuban exile of the Castro dictatorship. She is currently the only Republican member representing New York City in Congress, representing a district spanning the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island. She is a passionate advocate for animal rights and the strengthening of animal cruelty laws, and in her spare time, enjoys spending time with her chihuahua, Peanut.