Health Reform

The COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. has affected every aspect of the health care delivery system. In thousands of medically underserved rural and urban communities, community health centers played a vital role in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Uniform Data System (UDS), this infographic depicts key aspects of the health center experience in 2020, including the rapid implementation of COVID-19 testing and care, shift to telehealth, and expansion of behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment services.

Community health centers operate in the poorest urban and rural communities that experience elevated health risks as well as a serious shortage of primary health care. Immigrants are disproportionately likely to be poor, and therefore experience a greater need for publicly supported health services. Community health centers serve large numbers of immigrants, not only because of their location but also because of the extent to which health centers have adapted their care and services to meet immigrants’ unique language, cultural, and health needs.

By Sara Rosenbaum, Leighton Ku, Peter Shin, Jessica Sharac, Maria Velasquez

By Alexander Somodevilla and Sara Rosenbaum

1. Introduction