U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a $102 million investment to expand community health centers, with 415 new sites expected to bring primary care to nearly 1 million more Americans.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is investing $102 million to expand access to primary care across the country, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced during a visit to Atwater, California.
The funding will support 158 new and existing health centers in establishing 415 new sites, according to HHS. The expansion is expected to increase access to comprehensive primary care for nearly 1 million additional Americans.
Kennedy highlighted the investment as part of the administration’s broader effort to focus on preventive healthcare, nutrition and chronic disease prevention.
“Strong primary care prevents disease and gives Americans greater control over their health,” Kennedy said in the HHS announcement.
What the $102 million HHS investment will do
The new funding is being provided through New Access Points awards under the Health Center Program.
The program is designed to expand access to healthcare in communities where people may face barriers to obtaining primary care.
According to HHS, the new sites will help expand:
- Primary and preventive care
- Nutrition services
- Mental health services
- Substance use disorder treatment
- Chronic disease prevention and management
The investment represents the first major expansion of the Health Center Program since 2019, according to HHS.
Kennedy promotes primary care expansion
Kennedy announced the funding during his visit to Castle Family Health Centers in Atwater, California, where he discussed the role of community health centers in providing healthcare.
Local reporting said Kennedy and Health Resources and Services Administration Administrator Tom Engels toured the facility and met with healthcare workers before the announcement.
Kennedy described community health centers as an effective model for delivering primary care and said the administration wants to expand their reach.
The announcement comes as policymakers continue to focus on improving access to healthcare in both rural and urban communities.
California among states receiving new health center funding
California was among the states receiving funding through the expansion. Local reports said 27 California clinic organizations collectively received more than $17 million from the new funding stream.
Castle Family Health Centers in Atwater was selected as the location for Kennedy’s announcement after receiving federal support to expand its services.
The organization has served Merced County for years and has discussed expanding mobile healthcare and telemedicine services as it works to reach more patients.
Nearly 1 million Americans could gain access
The biggest potential impact of the announcement is the scale of the expansion.
HHS estimates that the 415 new health center sites will expand primary-care access to nearly 1 million additional Americans.
Community health centers are particularly important for patients who face geographic, financial or other barriers to traditional healthcare services.
The new sites could also provide additional opportunities for patients to receive preventive care before health problems become more serious.
Focus on prevention and chronic disease
HHS is also presenting the investment as part of a broader shift toward prevention.
The department said the funding will support services addressing nutrition, mental health and substance use disorders while helping communities tackle chronic diseases.
That approach fits into Kennedy’s broader “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, which emphasizes prevention and reducing the burden of chronic illness.
For Americans living in areas with limited healthcare options, the expansion could mean more opportunities to access primary care closer to home.
What happens next?
The $102 million investment will support the establishment and expansion of the 415 health center sites nationwide.
HHS and HRSA will oversee the Health Center Program expansion as participating organizations develop their new locations and services.
For patients, the impact will depend on when individual sites open and what services they provide in each community.
The announcement nevertheless represents a significant expansion of federally supported primary care capacity, with HHS projecting access for nearly 1 million more Americans.
