Velazquez Announces Grant for Sunset Park Health Council, Inc.

Washington, DC –A new grant for NYU Lutheran Medical Center will greatly enhance access to oral health care for HIV patients at Sunset Park Health Council, Inc., Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) announced today. A community health center, the facility is located within Velázquez's Brooklyn district.

"Community Health Centers provide care to our city's most vulnerable populations," said Velázquez. "In neighborhoods where individuals often face a lack of health care services, these centers can be the difference between receiving quality care and none at all."

Through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Park F Community Based Dental Partnership Program, Sunset Park Health Council is receiving $103,268. Operated by Lutheran Family Health Centers, the center has a multilingual and multicultural trained staff to respond to the needs of all patients in the community.

In a unique partnership, this program will benefit both patients and providers. The grant will foster a collaborative community-based program that incorporates dental health services for underserved people living with HIV while also providing education and clinical training for dental students. The resources will expand dental services to promote a comprehensive individualized health care plan for those living with HIV.

"To combat the devastating reality of being diagnosed with HIV, I'm confident that the staff at Sunset Park Health Council will put this new grant money to the best use by expanding services and reaching new patients," said Velázquez. "I am proud to see these resources invested in an institution that already does so much to ensure quality health care in Sunset Park."

"Sunset Park Health Council serves some of our neighbors who are most in need of medical assistance," Velázquez noted. "With these funds, the center will be able to expand its depth of services, particularly for New Yorkers living with HIV."

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