Coastal Health & Wellness receives more than $500,000 in grant funding Grants aim to provide care in natural disaster, combating opioid crisis

GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas – Coastal Health & Wellness (CHW) was recently awarded more than $500,000 in two grants aimed at providing care in the case of a natural disaster and combating the nation-wide opioid crisis.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) granted CHW a two-year $337,012 Capital Assistance for Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts (CARE) grant in September, as well as $185,000 funding for opioid response.

“Coastal Health & Wellness is grateful for these grant opportunities through HRSA,” said Mary Orange, CHW business office manager. “These funds will allow the Texas City and Galveston clinics to continue providing access to high-quality primary care to the public.”

CARE grant funds provide support to health centers impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.

“While Coastal Health & Wellness clinics in Texas City and Galveston were not impacted by Hurricane Harvey, many people in our community were,” Orange added. “CARE grant funding will allow CHW to purchase loose, movable equipment so that staff is able to relocate services in the event one or both clinics become inoperable after an emergency or disaster.”

Equipment purchases will include stethoscopes, spot vital sign machines, portable ultra sound machine, fetal monitor, scales, mobile notebooks, portable emergency kit, radios for emergency communication, privacy screens, scanners, printers, portable phone chargers, portable AED’s, stretchers and portable treatment tables.

With this equipment, CHW providers and supporting staff will be able to set up mobile clinics in two or more locations, such as a church hall, school gym or local meeting hall so that the clinics can continue to provide services.

“Health centers serve as a lifeline to services and networks of resources in their communities every day, and especially during a crisis,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “These grants build on other HHS investments to ensure that health centers can continue to serve communities impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, and strengthen their readiness to respond to the needs of the community after future hurricanes or other disasters.”

In addition, CHW was awarded a $185,000 grant to combat the ongoing opioid crisis. Funding will provide psychology services via tele-psychiatry four hours a week, expanding substance use disorder and mental health services already provided.

The award supports HHS’s Five-Point Opioid Strategy, launched last year to empower local communities on the front-lines of the national epidemic.


The clinic plans to have the tele-psychiatry services in place in early 2019. Coastal Health & Wellness is Galveston County’s Community Health Center, with clinics in Texas City and Galveston.

CHW offers high-quality primary medical, dental and counseling services. CHW accepts Medicaid, Medicare and
many major insurance plans and offers discounted rates for those who qualify.
P.O. Box 939 La Marque, Texas 77568 • (409) 938-2234
www.coastalhw.org