Environmental Health

Why Environmental Health and Climate Change Are Important Issues for Community Health Centers

Environmental health and climate change are important social drivers of health. Our environment encompasses where we live, work, learn, and play. It is the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food that we eat. Environmental issues like pollution, wildfires, extreme heat, flooding, and storms can cause adverse health outcomes that impact some communities more than others, an important issue of health equity. Community Health Centers are uniquely poised and have various opportunities to address environmental and climate health in their local areas.

In fact, the federal legislation that creates and authorizes the Health Center Program specifically addresses environmental health. Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 254b) subsection (b)(2) authorizes health centers to provide additional services necessary for the adequate support of primary health services including environmental health services, including the detection and alleviation of unhealthful conditions associate with (I)water supply; (II) chemical and pesticide exposures; (III) air quality, and (IV) exposure to lead. 

No matter where you are in terms of thinking about how to address environment and climate change issues, NACHC has resources to help you along the way. Please read more about our resources in the following sections.

Environmental and Climate Resilience at Health Centers

Environmental health and climate resilience is all about helping communities both successfully cope with and manage the impacts of growing environmental and climate challenges, while using prevention and mitigation measures to keep these types of problems from getting worse.

Community Health Centers Leading the Charge to Build Resilience Against Climate Change

This interactive map visually demonstrates community health centers across the country adopting resilient energy systems. It also serves as a powerful tool for other centers to explore the growing interest in resilience and learn from real-life examples, including financial and operational strategies, environmental and economic impacts, and implementation guidance.

Solar Microgrids

NACHC, Capital Link, and Collective Energy are three mission-oriented organizations working to provide resilient and renewable energy options for health centers. Our Community Health Access to Resilient Green Energy (CHARGE) partnership offers turnkey and concierge services to help health centers finance and install solar grids with back-up battery capability. Please learn more about the CHARGE partnership by visiting our website or contact Julia Dempsey, Environmental Health Program Associate, at jdempsey@nachc.org.

Patient-Centered Climate Resilience Training and Toolkits

As part of the National Training and Technical Assistance Cooperative Agreement with the Health Resources and Services Administration, NACHC will launch an Extreme Heat Learning Collaborative with Harvard’s Center for Climate, Health and the Global Environment, Migrant Clinicians Network, and Americares. Stay tuned for e-learning options that will become available and check out the Climate Resilience for Frontline Clinics Toolkit available now!

Heat and Health Basics

With funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Association of Community Health Centers collected and organized feedback from clinicians, operations staff, and administrative personnel in community health centers. This input guided the refinement of the materials and facilitated the creation of a centralized platform for community health centers to access the finalized resources. These materials were developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Learn About the Impacts of Climate Change and Ideas for Action

Become a Climate for Health Ambassador

Customized NACHC Climate Ambassador Training: Receive continuing education (CE) credits and get trained on climate and health at the same time. With this four-hour training, which you can do online and on your own time, you will strengthen your knowledge about climate change, working for climate solutions, and how to speak and advocate on the issue with confidence and success. The training is FREE and comes with resources and other support.

Learn more about this training, tailored by NACHC and ecoAmerica to the needs of health centers.

Contact Us!

Contact us, at envhealth@nachc.org with any comments or inquiries.