Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured a total of $3,670,000 for the Dempsey Center, St. Mary’s, and B-Street Health Center in the Fiscal Year 2023 Health and Human Services appropriations bill.
The omnibus funding package passed the Senate by a vote of 68-29. It will now be passed by the House before heading to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
Senator Collins said, “This funding will help the Dempsey Center’s compassionate staff and volunteers reach more rural cancer patients and their families. Additionally, this funding will upgrade ventilation at St. Mary’s to improve safety for patients and health care workers. Finally, this funding will allow B-Street to expand the essential health and dental care it provides to vulnerable populations in the Lewiston-Auburn region.
“Mainers in every part of our state should be able to receive the vital medical services they need, which is why I have long advocated for funding to support access to quality health care,” continued Senator Collins.
$725,000 will be used by the Dempsey Center to purchase two mobile units to provide physical and emotional support to rural Mainers impacted by cancer, including those with limited transportation and low digital access. Cancer in all its forms is the leading cause of death in Maine. More than 8,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in Maine every year and over 3,000 die from the disease. The Dempsey Center provides a haven of support to help cancer patients, their loved ones, and care partners through their cancer journey by providing personalized, holistic, wraparound care with programs and services such as individual and group counseling, complementary therapies, educational workshops, and dedicated youth and family programs – all at no cost to clients. Mobile units will bring these services directly to patients and their families.
$945,000 will be used by St. Mary’s Medical Center to upgrade the air handling system for the C2 Unit, which hosts regular hospital patients and those recovering from surgery. In addition to installing a new HVAC system, this project will include converting three single-occupancy patient rooms into negative pressure-capable isolation rooms on C2 to improve air quality and safety for all, including health care workers.
$2,000,000 will be used by B-Street Health Center to create more space and capacity to expand medical, mental health, and dental care services. B-Street provides these services to patients regardless of their insurance or financial status. This expansion is necessary to address growing needs in the community.
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