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Funding that Community Health Centers rely on to serve 32.5 million people a year expires later this month. It’s important for Congress to hear from as many health center supporters as possible — in-person, through calls, and emails — before the December 31 funding deadline. Act now to urge your elected officials to:

  • Increase base funding for Community Health Centers to $5.8 billion in the year-end budget package to maintain and expand patient services.
  • Support primary care workforce programs by funding the National Health Services Corps (NHSC) at $950 million per year and increasing funding for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program to $300 million per year.
  • Support at least a two-year extension to Medicare telehealth flexibilities to protect seniors’ access to telehealth services, especially in rural communities.

This is an opportunity for all advocates to make their voices heard with Members of Congress on behalf of the 32.5 million patients you serve. Advocating takes less than 2 minutes and easy step-by-step instructions are included in the links below.

Confused about health center funding? Watch our Explainer Video on Health Center Funding to learn about federal funding.

Why engaging with Congress matters

Did you know? Congress measures the importance of an issue by counting the number of calls received in a day. This is a reminder that everyone has the power to quickly raise this issue to the top of their priorities. Follow the campaign links to find everything you’ll need: call script, sample letter to Congress, and additional talking points. If you have any questions about this campaign, feel free to contact us at grassroots@nachc.org.

Sign up to receive updates about how you can take action to support health centers.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Amy Simmons Farber 202 309 0338

WHO: Nearly 300 Community Health Center doctors, nurses, patients, and administrators from across the U.S.

WHAT: Capitol Hill Fly-In Day to urge Congress to extend federal funding for Community Health Centers before the end of the year.

WHEN: December 3-4, 2024

WHERE: U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. WHY: Community Health Centers serve as primary care providers for 32.5 million Americans, including:

  • 9.4 million children
  • 3.8 million seniors
  • 10 million rural residents
  • 419,000 veterans

Federal funding enabling these essential services expires December 31, 2024. Health centers deliver comprehensive care while representing just 1% of U.S. healthcare spending. The Congressional Budget Office confirms they generate significant savings through reduced hospitalizations and improved health outcomes.

View background materials about the National Fly-In Day.

INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:

  • Health center CEOs
  • Frontline medical providers
  • Patients sharing personal stories

To schedule interviews or for additional information, contact Alexandra Walker/Amy Simmons Farber awalker@nachc.org.

About the National Association of Community Health Centers

NACHC is the leading innovative change agent collaborating with affiliates and partners to advance Community Health Centers as the foundation of an equitable health care system free from disparities and built on accessible, patient-governed, high-quality, integrated primary care.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Amy Simmons Farber, 202-309-0338

Bethesda, MD—NACHC is pleased to announce that the Biden Administration included $260 million in its supplemental funding request to support health centers that are providing access to primary care after Hurricanes Helene, Milton, and other recent disasters. The funding request comes after a NACHC letter was sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) urging the Administration to consider the importance of protecting disaster-struck communities’ access to primary care in its request to Congress.

“As safety net providers operating on razor-thin margins, health centers – and their communities – will struggle to recover from these disasters without dedicated federal support,” said Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, President & CEO of NACHC, in the letter. “Hurricanes Helene and Milton affected dozens of health centers across the southeast of our country, disrupting operations and causing severe hardship for health centers’ staff and patients. When health centers are knocked offline, diabetic patients miss appointments, pregnant women miss prenatal visits, children miss routine vaccinations, and behavioral health patients have their therapy interrupted. These interruptions in care not only worsen patients’ health but also lead to an increase in avoidable hospitalizations and emergency department visits, further straining a healthcare system that is otherwise focused on emergency response.”

Health centers are the backbone of the nation’s health care system—providing high-quality, primary and preventive care to over 32.5 million patients across 16,000 locations. Their patients include one in five rural residents, one in nine Medicaid beneficiaries, and one in five uninsured individuals. Health centers’ unique governance model of patient-controlled boards makes them well-positioned to respond to the unique disaster recovery needs of their communities. In western North Carolina, health centers established temporary shelters, set up mobile health units, and deployed all-terrain vehicles to reach patients in rural areas. In Florida, health center staff, many of whom were displaced themselves, returned to help local communities, providing supplies, mobile healthcare services, and partnering with other organizations to address short-term needs.

About the National Association of Community Health Centers

NACHC is the leading innovative change agent collaborating with affiliates and partners to advance Community Health Centers as the foundation of an equitable health care system free from disparities and built on accessible, patient-governed, high-quality, integrated primary care.

Staff at Salud Para La Gente, a health center based in Watsonville, California, use Direct Relief-donated medicines at mobile health outreach in Pajaro, California, after extensive flooding occurred after a levee breach in 2023. Health centers across the U.S. are increasingly called up to respond to disasters in their communities. Direct Relief committed $1 million to the National Association of Community Health Centers this week, and the organization represents health centers across the U.S. as they provide culturally sensitive care to their communities. (Photo courtesy of Salud Para La Gente)

Direct Relief this week announced $1 million in support to Community Health Centers in the U.S. to fund health equity efforts in their communities. The announcement was made in collaboration with NACHC.

Health centers provide access to critical healthcare services by reducing barriers such as cost, lack of insurance, distance, and language for the more than 32.5 million people they serve. The funds from Direct Relief will broadly support initiatives focused on the diversification of the healthcare workforce, elimination of health disparities, and support of technology and/or innovation. 

The announcement was made during the NACHC Partnership Conference in Seattle, Washington, on Nov. 19.

“Health centers are deeply committed to serving patients in culturally sensitive and community-specific ways,” said Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief President and CEO. “Dating from their establishment as an outgrowth of the U.S. civil rights movement, they have a long and rich history, which continues to this day, with innovative care that aims to reach all people. Direct Relief is privileged to support their work.”

“We are grateful for our longstanding partnership and collaboration with Direct Relief to support community health centers as they carry out their mission to advance health equity as the first and last responders to the nation’s emerging public health challenges – hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and a devastating Covid-19 pandemic,” said Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, President and CEO of NACHC. “Direct Relief has been there every step of the way, providing essential medicines, medical supplies, and grants to ensure that health centers can continue their vital mission of care and support.”

In addition to this week’s funding announcement, Direct Relief has provided more than $870 million worth of medications to more than 1,000 health centers since 2008. Direct Relief has also provided more than $114 million in funding to 600 community health centers. Those funds have supported health centers through disaster preparedness and response, chronic disease management, mental health, women’s health, health equity, and resilient power and infrastructure.

Direct Relief has also donated more than 95,000 deliveries of medicines, medical supplies, and over-the-counter items to free clinics and charitable pharmacies across the country, which utilize a volunteer/staff model to provide care to people who are experiencing vulnerabilities.

“Access to behavioral health care should not depend on your zip code, but for far too many American communities, getting high-quality and affordable mental health and substance use disorder care is out of reach,” said Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, NACHC president and CEO. “With its historic $240 million investment in behavioral health care services in 400 Community Health Centers, the Biden-Harris administration is taking a significant step toward improving equity in mental health and substance use disorder care.”

Read the US Health and Resource Administration’s (HRSA) press release about funding to “launch and expand behavioral health care services in 400 Community Health Centers.”
Health centers have long been at the forefront of treating mental and behavioral health in America because they are accessible, community-based, and comprehensive. Demand for behavioral health care at health centers is high and growing (Commonwealth Fund, March 2024). In 2020, the nation’s health centers served three times as many patients seeking behavioral health services as they did in 2010.

NACHC has continuously advocated for policies to support health centers’ ability to fully integrate behavioral health services with primary care settings. The mental health services provided by health centers can vary based on the needs of the community where facility sites reside. Health centers offer a wide range of integrated mental and behavioral health services for children and adults, such as:

  • comprehensive individual or group counseling
  • intensive outpatient services
  • addiction and recovery services
  • Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
  • school-based therapy
  • crisis services

These services are patient-centered and often delivered while working in harmony with community partners (hospitals, counselors, pharmacies, and others) to support the full range of health needs of patients. Health centers utilizing interdisciplinary teams coordinate care and case management to diagnose, treat, and care for individuals with trauma, sleep disorders, abuse, depression, anxiety, or alcohol or drug use, among other mental health conditions.

  • Nationwide behavioral health staff in health centers grew by 8 percent to make up 11% of the overall care team in 2022. These providers include licensed clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed clinical social workers, substance use disorder staff, and other mental and licensed mental health providers.
  • Health centers are uniquely positioned to provide integrated mental health and primary health care services directly in a community-based setting. They are known for their emphasis on cultural competence and because they provide services regardless of a clinic user’s ability to pay. Investing in the behavioral health capacity of health centers — the largest primary care network in the US – is a critical component of meeting the soaring demand for services in this nation.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Amy Simmons Farber (202) 309 0338

BETHESDA, MD—The nation’s largest network of primary care providers, Community Health Centers, will gather on August 24-26 in Atlanta, GA, for a national conference. The 2024 Community Health Institute (CHI) and EXPO, hosted by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), comes as a record 32.5 million patients — one in 10 people — are getting care at health centers in rural, urban, suburban, tribal and island communities across the nation. Health centers have experienced an unprecedented increase of 2.7 million patients the last four years. The demand for affordable primary care services is soaring and nearly one-third of the U.S. population, more than 100 million people, are struggling to find a primary care provider.

The NACHC CHI will focus on critical challenges in the U.S healthcare system, including the underinvestment in primary care, workforce shortages, access to affordable medications, and Medicaid redeterminations.

The conference will also feature a slate of dynamic speakers, including:

Mandy K. Cohen, MD, MPH: Dr. Mandy Cohen is the Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Dr. Cohen is one of the nation’s top health leaders with experience leading large and complex organizations, and a proven track-record protecting Americans’ health and safety. She manages and directs the activities of the agency including disease prevention and control, environmental health, health promotion and health education activities to improve the health of the American people.

Governor Brian P. Kemp: Governor Brian P. Kemp, a native of Athens, GA, broke economic records throughout his first term with jobs and investments coming to every region of the state. In 2022, Governor Kemp was re-elected to serve a second term, running on a record of economic success in the Peach State while prioritizing the increase of rural broadband access for economic growth, educational opportunity, and healthcare access. Governor Kemp also aims to lower costs, improve quality, and increase access to quality healthcare in every region.

The Honorable Patrick J. Kennedy: During his time in Congress, Patrick J. Kennedy was the lead author of the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which requires insurers to cover treatment for mental health and substance use disorders no more restrictively than treatment for illnesses of the body, such as diabetes and cancer. In 2013, he founded The Kennedy Forum, a nonprofit that unites advocates, business leaders, and government agencies to advance evidence-based practices, policies, and programming in mental health and addiction.

Sarah M. London: Sarah M. London is CEO of Centene Corporation, a Fortune 500 company and leading national healthcare payer that takes a uniquely local approach to providing fully integrated, high-quality, and cost-effective services. Centene focuses on government-sponsored healthcare programs and primarily serves under-insured and uninsured individuals. London has spent her career at the intersection of health data, technology and healthcare delivery transformation.

Joseph Betancourt MD, MPH: Joseph Betancourt is the President of The Commonwealth Fund and one of the nation’s preeminent leaders in health care policy, equity, quality, and community health.  He formerly served as the senior vice president for Equity and Community Health at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and as founding director of the Disparities Solutions Center. He has devoted his career to improving the quality and value of health care for diverse populations.

Gerald E. Johnson III: As Executive Vice President of Health Equity & Chief Diversity Officer for the American Heart Association (AHA), Johnson brings a wealth of experience in building brands and driving sales results. During his tenure he’s held various leadership positions in Marketing, most recently as Chief Marketing Officer for Magic Johnson Enterprises and the Magic Johnson Foundation with accountability for leading marketing across all businesses, as well as driving revenue and sales for Strategic Alliances, Licensing and Fund Raising.

The NACHC CHI will also feature senior leaders from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Instacart Health, AAFP, Direct Relief, HLTH, AltaMed, and HRSA funded National Training and Technical Assistance Partners.  The conference will also feature an EXPO hall of more than 150 exhibitors from across the healthcare landscape.

WHAT: The NACHC 2024 Community Health Institute

WHERE:  The Hyatt Regency, Atlanta, GA

WHEN: August 24-26

Members of the media who wish to cover this event must register in advance by emailing Alex Walker (awalker at nachc dot org) and/or Amy Simmons (asimmons at nachc dot org). NACHC’s conference press policies and guidelines can be found here. NACHC is the leading innovative change agent collaborating with affiliates and partners to advance Community Health Centers as the foundation of an equitable health care system free from disparities, and built on accessible, patient-governed, high-quality, integrated primary care.