Community Medical Centers has received $50,000 in emergency funding from the medical aid organization Direct Relief, in partnership with the National Association of Community Health Centers. CMC is among 518 Federally Qualified Health Centers to receive the funding through Direct Relief’s $25 million COVID-19 Fund for Community Health, which recognizes the profound effects of the pandemic on the finances, services, staff, and patients of community health centers. CMC will use the funds to protect our healthcare workers’ safety and to augment use of telehealth for patient visits.

“This generous grant will help us as we continue to provide the comprehensive and high-quality care our patients expect from CMC,” Chief Executive Officer Christine Noguera said. “These have been challenging times as we continue to deliver care during the pandemic.”

Direct Relief President and CEO Thomas Tighe said, “Access to primary care is what keeps people healthy and out of the hospital, and the frontline work of Community Medical Centers and other nonprofit community health centers across the U.S. is more critical than ever with the onset of COVID-19. Direct Relief is doing everything possible to bolster the work and support the staffs at the safety-net health facilities on which so many patients and their families rely for excellent care and trust for advice in this public health emergency.”

Nearly 30 million (one in 12) of the country’s most vulnerable residents – including one in three individuals living in poverty, one in five Medicaid beneficiaries, and one in nine children – rely on FQHCs like CMC for their health care. That number is expected to rise as more people lose employer-sponsored insurance.

“We are grateful for this critical and immediate support as community health centers work hard to keep communities safe during an unprecedented pandemic,” said Tom Van Coverden, President & CEO of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). “We are also deeply appreciative of our longstanding partnership with Direct Relief in these uncertain times and their efforts to ensure that health centers confronting multiple challenges in underserved communities have the resources when and where they need them.”

Community Medical Centers is a network of neighborhood health centers serving over 100,000 patients in San Joaquin, Solano and Yolo counties. They offer integrated medical, dental, behavioral health, and supportive services, all using a model that puts the patient at the center of the care team. To learn more about CMC, visit www.CommunityMedicalCenters.org.