ACH recently launched the Advocates for Community Health Political Action Committee (ACH PAC), an independent, nonpartisan PAC created to support federal candidates who understand the vital role community health centers play across the country. It is the only current federal PAC that represents the interests of community health centers.

We spoke with Stephanie Krenrich, ACH’s senior vice president of policy and government affairs and president of the ACH PAC Board, about why this effort matters to her, how the PAC will operate and how ACH members can get involved.

Stephanie, why was it important to you to help launch the ACH PAC?

In my role leading ACH’s policy and government affairs work, I see every day how decisions made in Washington directly affect our members, their staff and the patients they serve. Whether we are talking about health center funding, 340B, workforce shortages or Medicare payment policy, having informed champions in Congress makes a real difference.

We created the ACH PAC because we want to deepen our relationships with those champions and help cultivate new ones. It gives eligible members of the ACH community another voluntary way to stand together and engage federal candidates who understand the value community health centers bring to their patients.

How does the PAC fit into ACH’s broader advocacy work?

The PAC is one part of a much larger strategy. ACH will continue meeting with policymakers, developing policy solutions, mobilizing advocates and telling the stories of our members and their patients. Those efforts remain central to our work.

The PAC adds another tool. It can help us build stronger relationships with elected officials and candidates while creating additional opportunities to elevate the priorities of community health centers. For me, this is about making sure our members have the strongest possible voice in Washington.

Is the ACH PAC affiliated with a political party?

No. The ACH PAC is independent and nonpartisan, and that is very important to us.

Community health centers serve people in every kind of community—urban, rural, Republican, Democratic and everything in between. Our support will be based on a candidate’s record, positions and potential to advance the interests of community health centers, not the letter next to the candidate’s name.

What will you consider when deciding which candidates to support?

We will look first at whether a candidate has a strong record of supporting community health centers or has the potential to become a meaningful champion for CHCs.

We will also consider whether the individual serves on a committee with jurisdiction over our priorities, such as the House Energy and Commerce Committee or Senate HELP Committee; is active on issues such as 340B or other emerging health policy priorities; holds a congressional leadership position; or participates in an organization relevant to health centers, such as the House Primary Care Caucus or Congressional Black Caucus. In the end, this is about engaging with and supporting the candidates who are best positioned to help health centers continue to do what they do best – provide the gold standard of primary care in communities across the nation.

For more information about the ACH PAC, contact Stephanie at skrenrich@advocatesforcommunityhealth.org.