CANTON -- The Community Health Center of the North Country, Commerce Lance, will receive three Quality Improvement Awards totaling $72,164 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The center is one of 60 health centers statewide receiving the awards which are to be used to improve the quality, efficiency and value of the health care they provide, said an HHS press release.

Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Quality Improvement Awards recognize the work that health centers do to address health priorities by designating health centers that ranked in the top 1-2% in one or more key areas — behavioral health, diabetes prevention and management, and heart health -- as National Quality Leaders, said the press release.

These awards also recognize health center achievements in other areas, including improving cost-efficient care delivery while also increasing quality of care, reducing health disparities, increasing both the number of patients served and patients’ ability to access comprehensive services, advancing the use of health information technology, and delivering patient-centered care, said the press release.

"Our team at CHCNC is honored to be recognized,” said Ray Babowicz, spokesperson for the CHC. “It shows the model of integrated care Federally Qualified Health Centers are known for is making a difference. This care is available to all members of our North Country community, and this funding allows us to continue to build on that model, and open up access to care for even more families across the region,"

CHC of the North Country received a $27,164 award in the category of "Health Center Quality Leaders," $5,000 for "Advancing Health Information Technology (HIT) for Quality," and $40,000 for "Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition."