North Miami-Dade News

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Representative María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) joined the leadership and staff of Nicklaus Children's Hospital to celebrate two important projects for which she secured federal funding, which will directly benefit patients.

These projects will provide personalized medicine for children and increase the hospital's capacity for mental and behavioral health services. Together, they promote the Hospital's mission to provide the best possible care to improve patient outcomes.

"Doctors and staff at Nicklaus Children's Hospital are miracle workers, and I am proud to support their work in Congress," said Representative Salazar. "I am delighted to have secured over $1.4 million to provide cutting-edge medication to children and help the Hospital address our nation's growing mental health crisis."

Salazar secured the $1.45 million for Nicklaus Children's as part of the Fiscal Year 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act.

Specifically, the projects consist of:

- $1 million was granted to Nicklaus Children's Hospital for the expansion of its mental health facilities. This project will improve mental health services for children by expanding the existing outpatient facilities at the Hospital. The new outpatient location will be just minutes away from the Hospital and will include consultation rooms, therapy rooms, and other spaces for patients and families. This is vital in addressing the increasing number of children with mental health issues.

- $450,000 was awarded to initiate Nicklaus Children's innovative pharmacogenomic testing program. This is the first initiative of its kind to provide individualized medication for children. With these new methods, we can use the unique characteristics and genetics of children to create personalized medications just for them. This will provide more effective treatments and save lives. Nicklaus Children's is one of the few children's hospitals in the country to offer this service and the first of its kind in South Florida.

"Thank you, Congresswoman Salazar, for everything you do for children here in South Florida," said Matthew A. Love, President, and CEO of Nicklaus Children's Health System. "These two projects are just an example of what you have done to help us, both in the realm of mental health and personalized medicine. On behalf of all the children here, all the doctors, all the nurses, and the staff, thank you for supporting Nicklaus Children's and the community."

Salazar is a leader in improving mental health treatment in Congress and has successfully championed substance abuse and mental health prevention legislation that has become law.

Since coming to Congress, Representative Salazar has secured over $40 million in funding for Florida's 27th District. Her direct advocacy in Congress resulted in over $17 million in funding to improve healthcare and climate resilience in Miami. The congresswoman also obtained nearly $24 million in funding to protect and enhance Miami's water infrastructure, expand community health centers, support law enforcement, and improve public safety.