10 Feb Community Health Center Advocacy in D.C.
In his role as Board President for the Washington Association for Community Health (WACH), NOHN CEO Michael Maxwell, MD, led a group of Washington State health center leaders on a recent trip to the 2025 National Association of Community Health Centers Policy and Issues Forum. The annual conference took place February 5-8 in Washington, D.C.
“At the opening of the conference’s general session, we heard speeches by U.S. congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle – all recognizing and supporting the critical role Community Health Centers play in providing health care in our country – particularly to underserved populations and areas,” said Maxwell. “The display of bipartisan support was reassuring during an admittedly chaotic and uncertain time.”
Speakers included Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH), Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Former Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI), Rep. Jennifer Kiggans (R-VA), Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Rep. Raul Ruiz, MD (D-CA).
The WACH contingent also met with Sen. Maria Cantwell and Rep. Emily Randall’s Legislative Director Shanta Katipamula to advocate for:
– Maintaining (and ideally increasing) Community Health Center base grant funding when mandatory funding runs out in March
– Protecting Medicaid to ensure lower-income people do not lose medical coverage
– Supporting 340B program reforms and accountabilities that maintain access to lower cost medications for health centers
– Supporting health care workforce programs such as Teaching Health Centers and National Health Service Corps
– Continuing telehealth flexibilities to ensure access to care for rural patients in remote areas
Thank you to our congressional representatives for being consistent champions for Community Health Centers and health care access for Washingtonians!
Pictured: NOHN CEO Michael Maxwell, MD (back row, center), and CFO Beau Brown (back row, third from left), stand with U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (front row, center) and Washington State health center leaders.