California’s community clinics are an essential part of the health care safety net system -- providing community health improvement and outreach activities for uninsured and underserved populations. In our current economic climate, clinics are struggling to respond to a growing demand for their services. In response to the challenges of the health care environment, clinics are joining together to form regional and statewide networks to provide a unified voice through advocacy, and to share services and technical support.

The goal of the Community Clinics Initiative is to strengthen the infrastructure, leadership and advocacy capacities of the community clinic safety net system in recognition of the key role that these organizations play in expanding access and providing critical health services to underserved and uninsured populations. Key components include the provision of information technology support to individual community clinics and regional clinic consortia, the development of a policy and advocacy capacity in regional and state clinic networks, increased leadership capacity in clinic organizations and a capital assistance program to plan and complete construction and renovation projects.

Community clinics that received grants for technical assistance and updated computer systems and software have reported increased reimbursement for services, improved immunization rates, improved follow-up for patients with chronic disease, reduced waiting time for patients and the ability to better serve the needs of their clients through analysis of patient demographics and utilization rates.

The Community Clinics Initiative is a partnership with the Tides Foundation and  Tides Center, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization that provide a fiscal home and management support to charitable organizations. 

Celebrating Community-Based Health Centers

Community-based health centers have become the backbone of the health care safety net and a leading example of how to provide culturally competent, quality health care to underserved communities across the United States. Last year, more than 250 people met in Oakland to celebrate the advancements of the community health center movement, and its future role at The Power of Community in Health: A Showcase of Community Health Center Advances. The conference was funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, the Tides Foundation and The Endowment. ahschc.org/web/