In February, health center leaders from the Dakotas and CHAD staff joined over 3,000 community health center champions and advocates for the National Association of Community Health Center (NACHC) annual Policy & Issues Forum (P&I) in Washington, D.C. As part of P&I, Health center leaders from across the country – including providers, nurses, CEOs, and consumer board leaders – spent a day on Capitol Hill meeting with Members of Congress to share their stories and emphasize the important role health centers play in providing primary care to patients.
Shelly Ten Napel and Kim Kuhlmann attended from CHAD along with members Mara Jiran, CEO of Spectra Health; Margaret Asheim, CEO of Family HealthCare; Rhonda Eastlund, CEO of Community Health Services, Inc.; Grace Marshall Advocacy and Mobile Health Manager with Community Health Services, Inc.; Wade Erickson, CEO of Horizon Health; and Steve Heisel, community board member with Horizon Health.
In the days leading up to P&I, Congress passed increased funding for health centers, increased funding for National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and the Teaching Health Centers and Graduate Medical Education (THCGME), and extended telehealth flexibilities through December 2027. We expressed gratitude to Congress for passing these important programs, but emphasized the need to protect and continue long-term funding for the health center program.
We shared NACHC’s Triple Double Goal to transform primary health care by 2030 by increasing health center funding from 5% of U.S. health care spending to 10%; to double the number of people cared for at health centers annual from 10% to 20%; and double the percentage of new physicians entering primary care from 20% to 40%. We also advocated for a bill exempting health centers from 340B rebate models; asked to secure permanent telehealth access; to pass Medicare payment parity for telehealth services; the need to protect Medicaid for the vital role it plays in patient care and reducing long-term costs; and discussed Rural Health Transformation.
During the P&I conference, NACHC announced the creation of two new centers to support health centers in providing high-quality, affordable, comprehensive primary care.
- The NACHC Center for Oral Health will operate in partnership with CareQuest Institute for Oral Health to strengthen oral health integration across community health centers by expanding training, education, and workforce development.
- The NACHC Center for Mobile Health dedicated to expanding points of care through mobile health care programs and policy initiatives. Currently at least 674 (45%) of CHCs operate at least one mobile unit and the hope is to grow that number to reach populations with limited access to care.
We heard from leaders in HHS and CMS how the mission of community health centers aligns with the goals of the administration in the areas related to nutrition, prevention of chronic disease, and adult and adolescent behavioral health. They expressed their appreciation of health centers and recognized the important role in caring for the needs of the local community.
You can view a short recap video of P&I here: https://youtu.be/pyoDYxdtuEE?si=GhBk9KLtyIEFt0Uv
View the 2026 CHAD Federal Priorities North Dakota Version and South Dakota Version
2601_LEG_ND Federal Priorities Final.pdf
2601_LEG_SD Federal Priorities Final.pdf
If you are interested in learning more about issues impacting health centers at the federal, state, and local levels of government:
- Sign up to receive state and local policy and advocacy updates from CHAD Dakota Health Center Voices.
- Sign up for NACHC’s Washington Update newsletter for federal news impacting health centers.
- Health centers can sign up to participate in the monthly NACHC Federal Action Support Team (F.A.S.T.) calls. Register here.
