HARTFORD, CT— Families and individuals short on finances and insurance but still needing mental health care now have a means to get the help they need.

That's becaue InterCommunity Health Care secured $1.8 million to expand primary and behavioral health care facilities at 16/40 Coventry St. in the North End of Hartford.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., both advocated at the federal level for the expansion of services that address health disparities in the community.

“InterCommunity Health Care is a beacon of hope for many families who are uninsured but in need of care. This federal grant of $1.8 million will help InterCommunity expand primary and mental health care services by hiring new, skilled health care workers and upgrading their facilities. This is a major investment in the health and well-being of the Hartford community, and I am proud to have fought for it,” said Blumenthal.

InterCommunity witnessed firsthand the need for same-day services for primary care, behavioral health and addiction recovery.

InterCommunity’s 16 Coventry St. campus serves more than 2,000 individuals yearly, with most of the clients living in the area code 06112.

Last year, more than 1,400 individuals accessed detox services at the 500 Blue Hills Ave. withdrawal management facility.

Funding will also help address health disparities in the community.

“This funding will help us to expand our facility, which in turn will allow us to provide more staffing and safer high-quality services for more patients in the North End of Hartford. The expansion will allow us to hire at least 14 more qualified staff members and expand services to 2,000 more individuals. We are so grateful to Senator Blumenthal and Senator Murphy for helping us to secure this money,” said Kim Beauregard, president and chief executive officer of InterCommunity.

Murphy, who advocated alongside Blumenthal for the funding, said “local health centers are so important to ensure that low-income and uninsured people have access to needed medical care. I’m proud that with these federal dollars, InterCommunity will be able to hire more staff, provide more services and see more patients. This is going to be a game changer for improving physical and mental health outcomes for people in the North End.”

For more information about InterCommunity Health Care, visit: www.intercommunityct.org.