The Department of Health and Human Services announced a $102 million funding round to expand the federally qualified health center network on Aug. 12, an investment expected to extend primary care access to nearly 1 million additional Americans. The funding will support expansion of primary, dental, and behavioral health services at community health centers that serve as safety-net providers in medically underserved communities, HHS said.
Federally qualified health centers are required to accept patients regardless of their ability to pay.
The investment is one of the largest single FQHC funding rounds in recent years and has immediate implementation implications across dozens of states. Health centers receiving the funding serve both urban and rural populations, many of which have limited access to private-practice physicians or hospital-based care.
For Americans living in underserved areas, the expansion addresses a persistent gap in the health care system. Approximately 30 million Americans live in designated health professional shortage areas where the supply of primary care providers falls short of community needs, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration.
FQHCs served more than 30 million patients in their most recent reporting year and are a cornerstone of the nation’s primary care infrastructure. The centers disproportionately serve Medicaid enrollees, uninsured individuals, and low-income families.
The behavioral health component of the funding is particularly significant given the ongoing mental health crisis, including rising rates of anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders across all demographics. Community health centers have increasingly become a front-line access point for behavioral health services in areas without psychiatrists or psychologists in private practice.
Dental care expansion addresses another access gap. Dental disease remains one of the most common chronic conditions in America, and many underserved communities lack affordable dental providers.