Advocates for Community Health issued the following statement in response to the Federal Government shutdown, in effect today:

Advocates for Community Health (ACH) warns that a federal government shutdown could be devastating for community health centers and the nearly 34 million patients who depend on them if a resolution is not reached quickly.

Already facing staggering uncertainty—Medicaid cuts threatening their bottom lines, the 340B program under attack, and a worsening workforce shortage—health centers are running out of options. Federal funding had already been teetering on the brink, and now, with its official lapse, health centers and the patients they serve are left shouldering the consequences.

ACH calls on Congress and the Administration to act without delay to restore funding and ensure that community health centers can continue providing essential care to the people who need it most.