Investments in community health centers (CHCs) are not one-size-fits-all. Across the country, health centers serve a variety of patient populations with unique challenges, and the actions states take look different. In this blog, we explore state-level investments that are responsive to the needs of health centers to help them shape the future of providing care. This ranges from capital funding to modernize facility infrastructure, expanding coverage for remote patient monitoring devices, and closing critical gaps in the health care safety net. These examples highlight how tailored financial commitments can help ensure health centers remain resilient and responsive to the needs of their communities.
Massachusetts: Closing the Health Safety Net Gap
On September 22, 2025, Governor Maura Healy signed House Bill 4530 into law—not as a routine budget measure, but to address the anticipated loss of federal health care dollars. House Bill 4530 provides $35 million in financial relief to community health centers, including $2.5 million for the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers to facilitate regional savings initiatives, including shared service options.
“Massachusetts’ leaders have once again stepped up to ensure equitable access to care for our most vulnerable patients and communities. I am immensely grateful to our allies in the Legislature, Speaker Ron Mariano, Senate President Karen Spilka, Chair Aaron Michlewitz, and Chair Michael Rodrigues, as well as the Healey-Driscoll administration, for supporting community health centers as they navigate an increasingly challenging environment,” said Michael Curry, Esq., President and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. “This is a critical moment for our movement and as we continue to navigate a shifting federal policy landscape, the Mass League looks forward to working closely with our allies to ensure community health centers have the resources needed to uphold their mission and mandate to provide high-quality care to everyone who walks through their door.”
The passage of H.R. 1, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” has left Massachusetts facing a future where billions of federal Medicaid dollars would vanish—an estimated $13 to $21 billion in lost funding over the next decade, according to Kaiser Family Foundation forecasts. Soon, lawmakers in other states will face the same decision Massachusetts just made: whether to use state funds to replace their lost federal revenue. Without state action, financially burdened health centers and hospitals are preparing for cuts to primary care, dental, behavioral health, maternity services—and even potential facility closures. The result could be devastating with patients losing access to care close to home and providers forced to choose between staying open or turning people away.
Massachusetts acted because the alternative—doing nothing—would have left too many people behind. By stepping in where federal dollars fall short, Massachusetts has sent a clear message: protecting access to health care is not optional—it is a responsibility. This law ensures that our most vulnerable neighbors are not abandoned and that our health care system remains strong enough to serve every community, no matter the federal headwinds ahead.
New York: Union Community Health Center Receives Capital Funding for Bronx Dental Clinic
On, September 9, 2025, Union Community Health Center (UCHC) celebrated a $1,115,000 capital investment to renovate and expand UCHC’s Dental Clinic in the Bronx. With the support of New York State Senator Gustavo Rivera, UCHC was able to obtain this funding through a grant award disbursed through the New York State Community Resiliency, Economic Stability, and Technology Program (CREST).
This project will significantly improve access to dental care for Bronx residents by reducing wait times and increasing service capacity. A community anchor institution, UCHC has served the health care needs of the Bronx for more than 115 years. UCHC provides care tofor nearly 40,000 patients annually. In addition to comprehensive primary and specialty care, UCHC operates one of the largest dental practices in the Bronx, serving patients with Medicaid and Medicare through one of New York City’s most extensive oral health programs. In 2024 alone, its dental department delivered nearly 50,000 visits – yet patients across the Bronx continue to face significant delays due to overwhelming demand and space constraints.
The project will feature an expanded Dental Clinic with four additional operatories, reducing wait times and improving care delivery. The center is part of a broader transformation of the Grand Concourse site that will co-locate dental, primary care, pediatrics, OB/GYN, behavioral health, and UCHC’s Mother-Child Center- creating a single-site model of integrated, equitable care that is rarely available in historically underserved communities.
“This investment represents more than bricks and mortar – it’s a commitment to access, addressing a severe shortage of dental services in the Bronx,” said Dr. Douglas York, PhD, MPH, President & Chief Executive Officer of Union Community Health Center. “Bronx families deserve superior quality care that is timely, accessible, and delivered in an environment designed for their needs. This project brings us closer to that goal.”
Construction is expected to begin shortly. UCHC will ensure uninterrupted services for patients throughout the renovation process. The expansion project marks a major step forward in closing health access gaps in the Bronx, offering residents access to comprehensive and responsive care in a welcoming and modern setting.
District of Columbia: Investing in Maternal Health
On September 16, Councilmember Christina Henderson of the District of Columbia introduced the Prenatal and Postpartum Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Clarification Amendment Act of 2025. This bill directs the D.C. Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) to cover and reimburse remote patient monitoring (RPM) for blood pressure and blood glucose in pregnant and postpartum individuals, for up to 12 months after childbirth.
This legislation aligns with the current administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, which identifies Maternal and Child Health (MCH) as a top public health priority. Research shows that remote monitoring can significantly improve maternal health outcomes by enabling early detection of complications such as hypertensive disorders and gestational diabetes, two leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. Community health centers play a vital role in delivering maternal and perinatal care, especially low-income, marginalized, or underinsured populations through RPM. RPM technology allows providers to extend care beyond the clinic walls, enabling patients to track key indicators like blood pressure and glucose levels from home and transmit data directly to their care team. This is beneficial for health center patients facing barriers like limited transportation, childcare needs, work obligations, or mobility issues.
Investing in MCH is not only about reducing maternal mortality and morbidity but also about creating conditions for healthy pregnancies and long-term family and community well-being. RPM supports proactive intervention and improves chronic disease management, reducing the need for costly hospitalizations and emergency visits. By covering RPM services for high impact metrics like blood pressure and glucose, the amendment makes reimbursement more targeted and sustainable in constrained health care environments that health centers serve. The proposed amendment also supports continuity of care during the postpartum period, a critical time when many patients disengage from the health system. Extending RPM coverage for up to 12 months of postpartum ensures ongoing monitoring and timely interventions, enhancing patient outcomes.
Known for their innovation and resilience, health centers are well-positioned to serve as key hubs for implementing this clarification amendment. The bill offers a meaningful opportunity to expand access to RPM for maternal health, improve health equity, and ensure that the most vulnerable patients benefit from high quality, continuous care.
Across Massachusetts, New York, and the District of Columbia, a common thread emerges: When states invest strategically in health centers, they strengthen the foundation of their entire health care system. Whether through emergency funding to preserve the safety net, capital support to expand access, or policy changes that bring care closer to home, these actions demonstrate the essential role of state leadership in advancing better health outcomes. As federal funding and policy landscapes continue to shift, sustained state commitment will be critical to ensuring that health centers can continue to innovate, adapt, and deliver on their mission—to provide comprehensive, high-quality care for everyone, regardless of where they live or their ability to pay.