Selecting the 2026 ACH Advocate of the Year was a formidable task, as our membership includes many dedicated leaders who truly embody the spirit and mission of health centers.
Among a field of exceptional nominees, Chris Bates was selected as one of two distinguished honorees during ACH’s Annual Member Meeting. As the Corporate Compliance Officer for Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation (MCHC), Chris’ impact is felt across Eastern Kentucky and Southwestern Virginia.
We sat down with Chris to discuss his journey, his work on ACH subcommittees, and what it means to lead in such a talented field of advocates.
ACH: Tell us about your role at MCHC and what inspired you.
CB: I serve as Corporate Compliance Officer at Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation, where I focus on making sure we’re delivering strong, accessible care and continuing to meet the needs of our communities.
My role centers on grants, advocacy, and compliance. I help identify and secure funding opportunities, represent our organization in policy and advocacy efforts, and ensure we stay aligned with federal and state requirements. It’s about connecting resources, policy, and accountability to support our mission.
What drew me to this work is really the mission. In rural Appalachia, access to care isn’t a given. It’s something you have to actively build and protect. Being able to contribute to that in a meaningful way is what drives me.
ACH: Please tell us about the role MCHC’s serves in Kentucky and Virginia’s healthcare system.
CB: MCHC plays a significant role, especially in the rural parts of Kentucky and Virginia we serve. For many of our communities, we’re the main entry point into the health care system. We provide primary care, behavioral health, dental, optometry, obstetrics/gynecology, pulmonology, podiatry, on-site lab and x-ray, — really the full spectrum — and we take care of everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. In some areas, we’re not just part of the system, we’re the backbone of it.
ACH: What’s the most pressing policy issue facing MCHC?
CB: One of the biggest challenges right now is making sure funding and reimbursement keep pace with what it actually takes to deliver care, especially in rural areas. At the same time, workforce shortages are very real for us. It’s hard to recruit and retain providers in underserved areas. Those two things together, funding and workforce, really drive a lot of what we’re dealing with day to day.
ACH: You serve on ACH working groups and subcommittees to help advance policy work for health centers. Why is this work important to you?
CB: It matters because the policies being shaped directly impact what we can do on the ground. Being part of those conversations gives me a chance to bring real-world perspective into the room, what’s working, what’s not, and where the gaps are. It’s also about making sure rural communities and health centers have a voice in decisions that affect them.
ACH: What do you wish policymakers knew most about health centers and their patients?
CB: I think it comes down to understanding how much complexity our patients are navigating. It’s not just health care, it’s transportation, income, access, all of it. Health centers are built to meet people where they are and provide more comprehensive support than a typical model. When you invest in health centers, you’re not just funding care, you’re strengthening entire communities.
ACH: What do other health care leaders need to know about the importance of health center advocacy?
CB: Advocacy isn’t optional for health centers, it’s essential. The policies and funding decisions being made can either expand access or limit it. If we’re not at the table, those decisions are made without the perspective of the communities we serve. Strong, consistent advocacy helps make sure that doesn’t happen.
ACH: What are you most proud of when reflecting on your health center career?
CB: Honestly, it’s the impact. Seeing services expand, reaching more people, and knowing that care is available where it might not have been before, that’s what stands out. It’s not one single accomplishment; it’s the cumulative effect of helping build something that truly matters to the communities we serve.