Advocates for Community Health (ACH) applauds yesterday’s announcement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Health Resources and Services Administration awarding $102 million to expand the Health Center Program.
The New Access Points awards will support 158 new and existing health centers, including ACH members, in establishing 415 additional sites and bringing comprehensive primary care to nearly 1 million more people. These awards were made possible by the increased funding for the Community Health Center Program included in the bipartisan funding package passed earlier this year, and mark the first major expansion of the Health Center Program since 2019.
“This investment recognizes both the extraordinary value of community health centers and the growing need for accessible, affordable primary care,” said Amanda Pears Kelly, CEO of ACH. “These new sites will mean nearly 1 million more Americans can receive preventive care, manage chronic conditions, access behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment, and get the services they need closer to home. Today’s announcement shows exactly what sustained federal investment in community health centers can accomplish, and we are thrilled to see ACH’s continued advocacy translated directly into a meaningful expansion of access to care. At a time when healthcare affordability remains a top concern in communities across the country, health centers offer a proven model for delivering high-quality, cost-effective care. Sustained, meaningful investment in the Health Center Program is one of the most effective steps our nation can take to improve health, strengthen communities, and reduce avoidable healthcare costs.”
Community health centers currently provide care to nearly 34 million people across rural, urban, suburban, frontier, and tribal communities. They serve 1 in 8 children, 1 in 5 rural residents, more than 1 in 15 adults age 65 and older, and millions of people covered by Medicaid and Medicare or without health insurance.
The new awards come as health centers continue to serve growing numbers of patients while confronting rising costs, workforce shortages, and increasing demand for primary and behavioral healthcare. Ensuring these new and existing sites can thrive will require continued action on the priorities that underpin the health center model: securing sustained, long-term funding for the Health Center Program, preserving the 340B Drug Pricing Program for health centers, and strengthening the healthcare workforce.
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About Advocates for Community Health
Established in 2021, Advocates for Community Health (ACH) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit membership organization of community health centers dedicated to forward-thinking and ambitious federal policy and advocacy on behalf of health centers, their patients, and their communities. To learn more, visit advocatesforcommunityhealth.org.