DCPCA Statement on Halt to Federal Funding and Impact on Community Health Centers

1/30/25

Following the Trump Administration rollback of a funding pause that was slated to go into effect Tuesday, it appears that community health centers once again have access to the funding rightfully appropriated for them by Congress. 

The DC Primary Care Association and our member health centers are relieved to see the end of several difficult days when funding for CHCs’ life-saving work was in jeopardy. Now health centers can focus on what they do best—provide the highest quality comprehensive primary care to over 32 million people across our country, including more than 180,000 in the District of Columbia. 

While the immediate crisis may be averted, the White House indicates it still intends to review and halt funding inconsistent with Executive Orders on DEI, gender, and others. The government payment website for CHCs includes a new alert that payment delays or rejections are possible as the administration takes additional measures to review. 

DCPCA continues to monitor ongoing Executive Orders and Administration actions. We will update this statement as needed. 

1/29/25

Just days into the Trump Administration’s new term, DC community health centers confronted an unprecedented restriction on access to funding impacting their work to provide over 180,000 District residents with essential primary care and support services. Although the Administration rescinded the original OMB memo following a court ruling blocking it, they indicate the funding freeze is still in force.

The Administration has not created an exception for the critical work of the Federally Qualified Health Center network that serves more than 32 million people nationwide. The pause in grant distributions represents a major halt to the flow of funds for life-saving programs that benefit almost 1 in 4 people in the District — grants that are essential to administering direct health care for almost 50,000 children, 16,000 seniors, 1,000 veterans, and tens of thousands of individuals and families. DC’s community health centers are the frontline protection for District residents in preventing and treating RSV, flu, norovirus, and other infectious diseases before they become life-threatening public health risks. They support thousands of people managing chronic disease, ensuring that they have the care, medicine, and tools they need to work, care for their families, avoid hospitalizations, and thrive. Every day that the pause on federal funding continues, the shortfalls equate to over $90,000 in inaccessible revenue that health centers need to save lives.

As we await information about potential court rulings or further Administration action, the DC Primary Care Association urgently entreats Congress and the Trump Administration to release community health center funding immediately to protect individuals, children, and families and ensure access to critical prevention and primary care.