The prospects for re-opening a health clinic in Mancos got a setback Friday, when federal start-up funding for the project was turned down.

Valley-Wide Health Services, Inc., which operates 14 community health clinics out of its Alamosa headquarters, had applied for a $500,000 expansion grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, for the purpose of opening a community health center in Mancos.

Montezuma County was declared a medically under-served area in February, a prerequisite to an HRSA grant to expand health care.

In a March 27 press release posted on the Web ( www.bphc.hrsa.gov/press/2001_press_releases.htm ), HHS lists 25 community health centers in 17 states that will receive a total of $11.3 million to expand health-care services. Valley-Wide is not among them. The grants awarded this round range from $218,189 to $675,000, with no awards being made in the Rocky Mountain states.

Kay Garvey, acting director of the HRSA Press Office, confirmed by phone Friday that the Valley-Wide request for Mancos had been received but was not approved in this first cycle of funding for 2001. She said the VWHS application would be considered in the next cycle of awards, scheduled to be announced in June.

There will be a third batch of grants announced in August of this year.

Marguerite Salazar, CEO of VWHS, responded by e-mail Friday afternoon, "While the news is certainly disappointing, it does not quell our intent on continuing forward with plans for a clinic in Mancos. The need remains, and we will continue to seek alternative funding."

According to Marilyn Hughes Gaston, HRSA associate administrator for primary health care, this year’s grants will add about 100 new health-care sites capable of serving 1 million needy Americans.