OPINION: Community Health Centers shine a light in deeply challenging times

Each August, we celebrate National Health Center Week as a time to highlight Community Health Centers (CHCs) in the United States.

The first CHCs opened in 1965, and since then this federally-supported health care system has grown to serve more than 29 million men, women and children nationwide. CHCs help increase access to crucial primary care services by reducing health care barriers for patients such as issues with cost, language, transportation, and insurance. By offering primary health care that is affordable, as well as high quality, CHCs make an enormous impact in the lives of community members in Anchorage, in Alaska, and throughout our country.

As a part of this legacy, the Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center (ANHC) first began in 1974, operating with a handful of clinicians delivering care from a small trailer in Fairview. We’ve grown from those humble beginnings, and today ANHC continues to be Alaska’s longest serving CHC, as well as one of its largest. We’re proud of the role we play in ensuring that community members receive quality care when they need it most.

As the new CEO at ANHC, I see so much excitement and potential for the future of CHCs in Alaska and beyond, but I also recognize the unique moment in history we are in, and the realities facing health care right now.

ANHC extends our deepest gratitude toward our fellow health care colleagues here, and around the world, for continuing to persevere through seemingly insurmountable challenges over the past several years. We particularly want to pay tribute to health care workers and community members who lost their lives as a result of Covid, and to recognize and stand with those who still struggle with lingering effects from this disease.

As we move into this coming year of unknowns, we have learned from the past several years that it’s impossible to plan for everything. We have also learned that when the unexpected strikes, the most important ingredient for success is investing ahead of time into prevention, preparedness, and personal wellness.

At ANHC, our approach to prevention and preparedness is to focus on affordably addressing the whole-person health of each of our patients, and supporting them before a major disease or health concern strikes. Through primary care that addresses all facets of their life, including their physical, mental, emotional and social health care needs, they can be better prepared for anything that comes their way.

Just like CHCs around the nation, we also honor what happens outside our walls as a critical piece of patients’ health journeys. There are so many circumstances that might not have a diagnosis code, but have a huge impact on our patients’ health. Whether issues like lack of housing, food insecurity, or unemployment, or even issues accessing support for those experiencing disabilities or who are aging, helping patients with these very real needs is a critical part of the CHC whole-person preventive health approach.

With that, join me during this National Health Center Week in offering gratitude to our visionary leaders for the proactive investments they have made in supporting CHCs, as well as public health and health systems in our nation and state over the past several years. These were critical in our COVID response, and will continue to be vital as we move into the future where these remain our best defense against unknown challenges.

This August, we celebrate health care heroes, thank leaders who advocated for health systems to support all people, and thank each of you here in Anchorage who contribute every day to a healthier and safer community. Joining together, we can reach ANHC’s vision of accessible care for a healthy Anchorage.

Lisa DH Aquino, MHS, is a lifelong Alaskan, and the CEO for the Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center. She is also the former Executive Director for Catholic Social Services.

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