In this episode of Community Health Centers Unfiltered, host Amanda Pears Kelly takes listeners behind the budget—where critical decisions about federal funding, Medicaid, and state spending priorities determine how community health centers (CHCs) operate every day. Joined by health policy expert Jessica Schubel, the conversation puts a clear lens on how budget policy—not just legislation—drives […]
Rural health care in America is at a turning point, and the decisions being made right now will shape access to care for millions of people. Community health centers (CHCs) have long been the backbone of care in rural communities, serving patients who often face higher rates of chronic illness, limited transportation, and fewer provider […]
The federal healthcare landscape is shifting rapidly, but community health centers (CHCs) continue to demonstrate how community-driven primary care can meet the moment. That was the clear message from Advocates for Community Health’s 5th Annual Member Meeting, where health center leaders, federal officials, and policymakers gathered in Washington to chart the next chapter in health […]
This blog was inspired by ACH CEO Amanda Pears Kelly’s LinkedIn article, “When the Foundation Shifts: Community Health Centers Contend with a Forced Game of Jenga.” Primary Care: A Foundation Under Pressure For more than 60 years, community health centers (CHCs) have delivered high-quality care to nearly 34 million Americans, regardless of income, geography, or […]
Washington, D.C. — August 27, 2025 — Advocates for Community Health (ACH), a nonpartisan membership organization representing innovative federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) nationwide, is calling for a bold new investment in the Community Health Center Program as the Health Center Fund is set to expire on September 30, 2025, and warns that flat funding […]
Advocates for Community Health’s Senior Vice President of Policy & Government Affairs Stephanie Krenrich was interviewed exclusively for this article, published today in Inside Health Policy: “As we talk to Republicans, either the administration or others, we are consistently tying any increase in our funding to ‘Make America Healthy Again’ (and) highlighting our positive vision […]
In response to today’s announcement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rescinding a 1998 policy that granted undocumented immigrants access to certain federal health benefits—including the Health Center Program—Advocates for Community Health (ACH) has issued the following statement: “Today’s announcement from HHS imposes new administrative hurdles on the Health Center Program […]
Senior leaders from more than 30 of the nation’s largest federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) recently met in Washington, D.C., to discuss the future of the Health Center Program and advocate for reliable, long-term funding. During the Advocates for Community Health (ACH) Annual Member Meeting on March 25-27,2025, health policy leaders shared their insights and […]
Nearly 60 years after the Health Center Program was founded out of the Civil Rights Movement, the need for health care in our underserved communities has never been greater. The rising number of challenges health centers face is staggering, and the difference that the Health Center Program makes in our nation’s health is far too […]
Medscape recently interviewed ACH’s CEO Amanda Pears Kelly about how health centers are poised to expand vision care services to people who have difficulty getting that care. However, according to a recent study, they have been severely underused and are facing an unprecedented funding crisis. The study’s senior author Aiyin Chen, MD, and her colleagues […]
