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Member-driven organizations join forces to address urgent challenges facing community health centers.

WASHINGTON- February 15, 2023 – —Advocates for Community Health (ACH) and Health Choice Network (HCN)—national membership organizations serving federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) across the country—are partnering to provide enhanced policy, advocacy, and technological support to drive increased resources and access to quality care in underserved communities nationwide. The partnership will harness the vision and leadership of two cutting-edge organizations that joined in a joint mission to lead health centers into a new era of impact and success. Through this collaborative effort, ACH will pursue visionary policy and advocacy and work with HCN to leverage their technological innovations and solutions to support health centers in achieving community transformation at the local and national levels.

An emerging leader in health center policy and advocacy, ACH is leveraging its rapidly growing membership and strong relationships in Washington to urge federal policymakers to take historic and bold legislative action to sustain, expand, and advance the Health Center Program. The organization is committed to meaningfully impacting federal policy through nimble, strategic advocacy. Their policy priorities include securing increased immediate and long-term FQHC funding; building a strong, diverse, and sustainable workforce; ensuring investments in critical innovations; expanding value-based care models; protecting access to the 340B program savings for health centers; driving health equity through community transformation; and emergency preparedness policies, among others.

“There is much at stake for our members, and health centers nationwide, this year as they face an unprecedented combination of challenges,” said ACH CEO Amanda Pears Kelly. “ACH and HCN are aligned in our vision for a health care system that places health centers at the forefront and has equity and access at its core. With a history of strong bipartisan support, health centers offer a unique opportunity for leaders in Washington to improve access to care for their constituents in underserved communities nationwide.”

Health Choice Network strengthens and transforms the health status of all communities by providing high-quality and affordable shared solutions to our network of health centers, partners, and funders across the country.

“We are proud to join and support Advocates for Community Health (ACH) as we focus on common messaging to our elected officials, funders, and national health partners on the critical items impacting the quality care and the positive outcomes made available by health centers to the communities they serve,” said Alejandro M. Romillo, President and CEO for HCN.

The partnership is critical for health centers as they face a looming funding cliff, debilitating workforce shortages, and the end of the Public Health Emergency. Through their work together, ACH and HCN will raise the collective voices of their members in pursuit of historical investments and innovative legislative solutions that will ensure that health centers can fulfill their mission. Federally qualified health centers interested in joining ACH and HCN in their efforts can visit www.advocatesforcommunityhealth.org or www.hcnetwork.org.

 

About Advocates for Community Health

Advocates for Community Health is a membership organization for federally qualified health centers that strives to advance the delivery of health care to underserved populations and to achieve health equity for patients and communities in need. We are committed to working collaboratively to advance well-defined and forward-thinking policies at the national level. By leveraging the wisdom, agility, and innovation of our members, ACH brings bold leadership to drive change in the American healthcare system. To learn more about membership and partnership opportunities, visit www.advocatesforcommunityhealth.org or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

 

About Health Choice Network

Health Choice Network (HCN) is the first funded health center-controlled network (HCCN), founded in 1994, as a successful nationwide collaboration among health centers and partners, providing key business services focused on reducing costs through shared services, solutions, and subject matter expertise.  Operating across twenty states and territories serving nearly 3 million patients, HCN is recognized as a leader in the integration of health information technology among health centers and safety net providers. HCN has also demonstrated the most significant return on investments and quality health outcomes through jointly managed care strategies and accountable care organizations, all solely owned and operated by health centers.  For more information, please visit www.hcnetwork.org or follow us on Instagram (@Health_Choice_Network), LinkedIn (@Health Choice Network), Facebook (@hcnetworkinc) and Twitter (@hcnetworkinc).