Neighborhood Health Clinic Inc. in Fort Wayne is getting $6,735,711 through a federal program to help increase access to quality health care, according to a written statement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The department has awarded $727 million to 143 community health centers across the nation "to address pressing construction and renovation needs," the first in a series of awards that will be made available to community health centers under the Affordable Care Act.

The health centers serve nearly 19 million patients, about 40 percent of whom have no health insurance, with preventive and primary care services.

Patients are served regardless of their ability to pay; charges for services are set according to income.

Riggs Community Health Center Inc. in Lafayette is getting $3.55 million and Open Door/BMH Health Center Inc. in Muncie is getting a little more than $6 million, according to a chart on the department's website. http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/10/chc_chart.html