This month, I had the honor of attending the National Association of Community Health Center’s (NACHC) Policy and Issues forum in Washington, D.C. NACHC is the leading healthcare advocacy association that supports the vital work of Community Health Centers across our nation.
Throughout the conference, representatives from health centers from every state came together to listen to insights from federal partners and stakeholders, including leaders in community health nationwide. We were privileged to hear from Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, the White House’s Domestic Policy Director, Neera Tanden, and leaders from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, among others. A singular theme resonated throughout every presentation and discussion: Community Health Centers change lives. Health centers like Axis serve as the backbone of our country’s healthcare system, indispensable in driving forward health equity and primary care access.
On the final day of the conference, we headed to Capitol Hill, to meet face-to-face with our elected representatives. Alongside our Senior Director of Development and External Affairs, Victoria Tishman, I had the privilege of meeting with Congressman DeSaulnier and Congressman Swalwell (pictured below), advocating for health equity, primary care accessibility, workforce development, telehealth expansion, and the overall well-being of our community. We discussed the continued need for sustained bipartisan backing for health center funding. It was quite an experience to see thousands of Community Health Center leaders flood the halls of Congress, leveraging our collective “people power” to champion the needs of our communities.
Upon returning, I took a moment to reflect on the rich history and profound significance of the work we do at Community Health Centers. Since the inception of the Community Health Center movement nearly sixty years ago, borne out of the Civil Rights Movement and the War on Poverty, health centers have been at the forefront of driving transformative change to advance health equity. We believe that healthcare is a fundamental right for all, and we are the best, most resilient, diverse, and indispensable part of our nation’s healthcare delivery system.
-Liz
