Become a Health Center Advocate
Community Health Centers exist to meet the needs of the community. Our model for success is adapting to the needs of those we serve with an unwavering commitment to the mission: to provide high-quality, accessible, and affordable care to all.
NACHC believes that advocacy is critical to sustaining the Community Health Center movement. Our Grassroots Advocacy department leads multiple initiatives to support health centers in engaging in advocacy to educate elected officials and other policymakers about the incredible impact health centers make in their communities.
As the number of patients health centers reach yearly continues to rise and they expand services, advocacy remains critical to advancing equity and changing lives! Visit NACHC’s advocacy website, Health Center Advocacy Network, for advocacy tools, templates, resources and information.
National Health Center Week
National Health Center Week is celebrated each year in August with the goal of raising awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s health centers. For information about events, sponsorship, and more, visit NACHC’s National Health Center Week website
Advocacy Leadership Program
The Grassroots Advocacy Leadership Program (ALP) is a virtual skill-building program that provides training, resources/tools, and hands-on experience to emerging leaders as they build advocacy engagement within their health centers and communities. NACHC hosts two, five-month ALP cohorts each year (spring and fall).
Advocacy Centers of Excellence
An Advocacy Center of Excellence (ACE) is recognized for creating a culture of advocacy to ensure policymakers at all levels of government commit to supporting the affordable, equitable, and innovative care that health centers provide. There are three ACE designations—bronze, silver, and gold—that distinguish tiered levels of consistent engagement and demonstrate an ongoing commitment to making advocacy an organizational priority. There is a checklist of items a Health Center must complete to become an ACE and designation is valid for two years.
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The Washington Update is a weekly newsletter from the NACHC Grassroots Advocacy team providing “Health Center News You Can Use.” Learn how to strengthen your role as an advocacy leader, be inspired by the stories of health center advocates across the country, and get congressional, policy and regulatory updates.