At a White House Briefing yesterday, White House officials marked progress in the national effort to vaccinate populations against COVID-19. Dr. Marcella Nuñez Smith, MD, Co-Chair of the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, singled out the work of Community Health Centers in these efforts and noted that “approximately 60 percent of shots have been administered to people of color. And since our Community Health Center program started, about 70 percent of shots administered through those centers have gone to people of color as well.”

TPCA created a COVID-19 Resources page that contains information and tools for health centers and the general public on a variety of COVID-19 related topics including TPCA’s COVID-19 vaccines, updates, human resources & operations, telehealth, and PPE.

TPCA Members may also access the COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit for the latest in TN COVID-19 Vaccine distribution as well as timely and relevant resources.

Read about Cempa Community Care and the coalition of local community, faith and health leaders, assembled by the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, and their vaccine communication and education campaign called "Get Vaccinated Chattanooga."

Learn more about Christ Community Health Services and the newly launched Tennessee Heart Health Network's work to identify evidence-based interventions to aid primary care providers across the state in treating cardiovascular disease, the main cause of premature morbidity and mortality in the United States.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper is assembling a team to help reduce and prevent violence. Eleven Nashvillians were chosen to join, and Katina Beard, CEO of Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center and TPCA Board Chair, will serve on the the new Community Safety Partnership Advisory Board.

The American Rescue Plan Act provided an additional $800 million over two years for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). The funding will enable the Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW) to offer National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program providers to health centers whose Health Professional Shortage Area scores are lower than would typically qualify.

On May 17, HRSA sent letters to six drug manufacturers in response to their actions to halt shipments of 340B-priced medications to contract pharmacies stating their actions are a direct violation of the 340B statute and they must resume shipment or risk civil monetary penalties.

On May 10, HHS announced that the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) submitted a proposed regulation to rescind a Trump administration rule requiring health centers to provide Insulin and EpiPens at the 340B price. Upon publication of the proposed regulation, there will be public comment period and a final rule will be issued.

Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity

On May 10, HHS announced it will return to enforcing protections for gay and transgender patients under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. This action interprets bans on discrimination in health care based on “sex” in the Affordable Care Act, to encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, effectively reversing a rule from the Trump administration that defined “sex” as gender assigned at birth.

Review the HHS announcement >>>

NACHC held a National Day of Action on May 19 to advocate for the inclusion of health centers in infrastructure packages considered by Congress. Thank you to all of the health center advocates who raised the importance of robust health infrastructure to meet the needs of your communities!

Review NACHC’s Infrastructure Advocacy Toolkit >>>