The Impact of the Federal Funding Cliff on Community Health Centers

Community Health Centers serve as the primary medical home for more than 27 million people in 9,800 rural and urban communities across America. Their community-directed and patient responsive model of care has provided accessible, quality health care to medically disadvantaged and underserved people – regardless of their ability to pay. 

For more than 50 years, they have been federally-supported but because congress didn’t extend the Community Health Centers Fund (CHCF) by October 1, every community health center faces a 70% reduction in their federal funding at the beginning of their next budget period. With no fix, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) estimates that this funding loss will cause 9 million low-income Americans to lose access to health care and will lead to the closure of some 2,800 locations and elimination of more than 51,000 jobs in underserved communities. This funding cliff is already creating disruption at the center level.¹ 

At this Maryland Philanthropy Network Health Funders Affinity Group program, funders will learn about:

• The design and impact of health centers in Maryland and nationally;

• The policies that most impact health centers;

• The growing challenges communities face, such as the opioid epidemic, access to affordable food or housing, returning veterans, migrating populations from recent hurricanes, and how health centers can be part of the solutions to provide services; and

• Ways that foundations could help to support efforts to improve the impact of health centers.

Our speakers will be Jason Patnosh, Associate Vice President, Partnership and Resource Development for the National Maryland Philanthropy Network of Community Health Centers (NACHC); Alex Harris, Deputy Director for National Advocacy for NACHC; and Kevin Lindamood, president and CEO of Health Care for the Homeless.

This program is for members of Maryland Philanthropy Network, Washington Regional Maryland Philanthropy Network of Grantmakers, and Grantmakers in Health members only.

Click here to view a recording of the presentation.