Advocates for Community Health

PRESS RELEASE | Advocates for Community Health led over 550 health care organizations in urging Congress to reauthorize the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF) in an end-of-year funding package, at a minimum of $5.8 billion per year for at least three years. In a letter delivered to Congressional leaders today, national, state, and local organizations representing all 50 U.S. states and territories outlined the critical need for a robust funding increase for the CHCF, which is set to expire on December 31, 2024, to meet the record-breaking patient volumes and unprecedented financial challenges that health centers are facing. The signers of the letter expressed concerns about the insufficient federal funding to address the increasing needs of communities amidst mental health, substance abuse, and maternal health crises, as well as local emergencies like hurricanes, wildfires, and tornadoes. While acknowledging a recent short-term funding increase, the group emphasized the importance of a long-term reauthorization, which has not been enacted since 2019. “Health centers simply can no longer do more with less and cannot operate in legislative cycles of uncertainty,” said ACH Chief Executive Officer Amanda Pears Kelly. “These actions have a severe and long-term impact on our nation’s communities, the hundreds of thousands of employees working in health centers, and the health and wellbeing of the patients they serve.” Read the press release: https://hubs.li/Q02QjQNK0 #CHCs #ValueCHCs #communityhealth #healthcenters #primarycare #healthpolicy #Congress #healthcare #healthequity #FQHC #healthcarefunding #healthfunding #advocacy

"Between 2009 and 2024 the number of patients served at Amoskeag Health in Manchester, NH nearly tripled from 6,000 to 16,000 and staff numbers have increased from 55 to 225 at five locations. The challenge, says CEO Kris McCracken, is funding. Funding for the federally qualified health center (FQHC) is 'largely either decreasing or stable, but it doesn’t keep up with inflation,' says McCracken. Because of that, Amoskeag Health will likely fall $3 million short in its $22 million operating budget this year." https://hubs.ly/Q02Yh9Dz0 #FQHC #ValueCHCs #CommunityHealth #HealthCenters #PrimaryCare #Healthcare #NewHampshire #Medicaid #Medicare #FundingCrisis

In honor of National American Indian Heritage Month, let’s take a moment to appreciate the incredible work that health centers do for Native American communities across the U.S.! Did you know that nearly 2.6 million Native Americans turn to federally qualified health centers for their healthcare needs? These centers are essential in tackling health disparities and providing services that truly respect and reflect cultural traditions. They don’t just focus on primary care; many also weave in traditional healing practices, creating a holistic approach to wellness. What’s really inspiring is how committed these health centers are to preserving cultural practices. They offer a variety of programs, including mental health support, substance use treatment, and chronic disease management, all tailored to meet the unique needs of Native populations. For more information on how health centers honor Native American traditions and promote wellness, check out: https://hubs.li/Q02Y7pR40 #NationalAmericanIndianHeritageMonth #CommunityHealth #HealthEquity #CulturalHeritage #NAIHM2024

We're kicking off our 340B Learning Collaborative today with 16 ACH members from states representing NY, TX, CA, NC, WA, MA, and MI! This is the third learning collaborative we’ve offered ACH members and the largest by participation so far. We know that protecting 340B is an essential issue for health centers, and we hope that participants walk away equipped with tangible knowledge to enact real change in their communities. Learn more about the critical role of 340B at FQHCs in ACH's Special Report: https://hubs.li/Q02Y4MGD0 A special thank you to Equiscript, LLC for making this Learning Collaborative possible. #FQHC #HealthCenters #340B #CommunityHealth #Healthcare #PrimaryCare #HealthEquity #Pharmacy #Pharmacists #PharmacyManagers

Happy Veterans Day! Today, we honor the brave men and women who have served our country. Did you know that Community Health Centers serve over 1.5 million veterans annually? These centers help provide accessible healthcare to those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom. Additionally, nearly 10% of health providers in Community Health Centers are veterans themselves. Thank you to all the veterans for your service! #VeteransDay #CommunityHealth #ThankYouVeterans #HealthCareHeroes

As we end the week following the 2024 elections, we have a lot of information to share with our members about what we know, what we do not yet know, and potential opportunities for health centers in 2025. Community health centers have always been a bipartisan priority, and we are confident in our ability to continue to move ACH's ambitious policy agenda on behalf of health centers forward. ACH has built important relationships, developed good policy, and created smart strategy, and we plan to use that foundation to make important progress in 2025. Please check out ACH’s new Post-Election Resources for information and background on how the new Congress and Administration could impact health centers and the patients they serve. In addition, ACH will be hosting a webinar titled “Postmortem on the Presidential Election and its Impact on Community Health Centers” on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET. To help explain how the election results will impact our community health centers and what we are fighting for in the Lame Duck period and in 2025, ACH's health policy experts will outline how proposed policy reforms might impact community health centers, and what ACH plans to do to pursue an ambitious policy agenda on behalf of health centers and their patients. This is open to ACH members only. View ACH's Post-Election Resources: https://hubs.li/Q02XB6zp0 #ValueCHCs #CommunityHealth #HealthCenters #FQHCs #PrimaryCare #Healthcare #HealthEquity #Election #Congress #HealthPolicy #Advocacy #GovernmentAffairs #PostElection

Amanda Pears Kelly, CEO of ACH, will be speaking at a free virtual event hosted by the University of Pennsylvania today from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET. The event, titled "Advancing Value-Based Care in Community Health Centers," will dive into the challenges and opportunities that health centers face when implementing value-based payment programs. It’s a crucial discussion aimed at enhancing quality, reducing costs, and improving population health, all while creating sustainable models that support community health centers in their vital role within the healthcare safety net. Register now: https://hubs.li/Q02X7b7N0 #ValueBasedCare #CommunityHealth #PublicHealth #UPenn

ACH's work is more vital than ever as rising healthcare costs and systemic inequities remain central issues, with disparities in health outcomes linked to socioeconomic factors. We have already begun working with the anticipated health policy leaders of a Trump Administration and have shared with them our plan for community health centers. ACH stands ready to fight for what health centers need, both during the end of 2024 and in the years ahead. We've rounded up a few articles on how the Trump presidency will impact healthcare: 📌 STAT News: Donald Trump returns to the presidency with big ambitions to shake up health care: https://lnkd.in/gXWpEgSb 📌 Modern Healthcare: Trump win tees up regulatory rollbacks and uncertainty: https://lnkd.in/gAnVggVB 📌 NPR: How health care could change under the new Trump administration: https://lnkd.in/g332TXsv 📌 Fortune: Clues into Trump's next moves as president on Medicare, Social Security, the Affordable Care Act and more: https://lnkd.in/eUr83vrX Want to receive timely news in your inbox each month? Subscribe to our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e57Uz8_f #Healthcare #ValueCHCs #CHCs #Election #CommunityHealth #HealthCenters #PrimaryCare #340B #Medicaid #HealthEquity

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and community health centers (CHCs) play a vital role in the prevention, education, and management of this chronic disease, particularly for our patients in underserved areas. According to data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), CHCs serve millions of patients at risk for diabetes. In fact, nearly 30% of health center patients have diabetes or prediabetes. Fast Facts about Diabetes: ✅ 422 million people worldwide live with diabetes—about one in every 11 individuals. ✅ In the U.S., over 37 million people have diabetes, yet one in five are unaware of their condition. ✅ A staggering 96 million adults in the U.S. have prediabetes—over a third of the adult population. ✅ Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., with diagnoses more than doubling in the last 20 years. ✅ Approximately 90 to 95% of all diagnosed cases are Type 2 diabetes. To learn more, visit: https://hubs.li/Q02X9k8v0 #NationalDiabetesAwarenessMonth #CommunityHealth #DiabetesPrevention #HealthEquity #SupportLocalHealthCenters #NDAM2024

Legacy Community Health and the Galena Park ISD health partnership in Texas is a great example of how school-based healthcare can increase health care options for communities. #ValueCHCs #healthcare #behavioralhealth #schoolhealth #primarycare #FQHC #communityhealth #healthcenters