ARcare Receives $3.3M Grant from DHHS

Baptist Health affiliate ARcare of Augusta has been awarded a $3.3 million grant by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The nonprofit health-care provider will use about $2.8 million of the grant for construction of a new medical center in Augusta (Woodruff County), while $500,000 will be used to renovate its medical center and pharmacy in Brinkley as well as increase capacity.

The construction of the Augusta facility will provide "increased space for quality comprehensive primary care services" for the county and region, according to a Monday news release. In addition, the center’s second floor will host the ARcare Aging Center of Excellence and serve as "the hub of the company’s new ARcare Cancer Care program."

ARcare CEO Steven Collier said the funding will enable the organization to strengthen its mission of providing comprehensive health care to residents of Woodruff and Monroe counties.

"These investments will give us a significant boost in our efforts to ensure access to quality primary health care services, improve our ability to serve additional patients and further the economic development within the region by creating jobs," he said. "They’re truly a blessing."

ARcare serves about 30 communities in the region.