Opportunities for Community Health Centers and community development contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Community health centers have a vital role to play in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and the reform of healthcare as we know it. Most significant is the opportunity for community building and development using provisions that call for for expansion of community health centers; healthy communities transformation grants; increased accountability and reporting of hospital community benefits; the efficacy of community health workers in health care delivery to special populations; and increased emphasis one prevention, primary care and wellness. This presentation will focus on case examples of cross sector partnerships that have contributed to community development and transformation using not only the PPACA but other federal initiatives such as HUD’s Choice Neighborhoods program, DOE’s Race to the Top initiative, and the Federal Reserve’s Community Reinvestment Act provisions. Will also include specific lessons learned from a case example of the Center for Community Health Education Research and Service, a community-academic partnership established in 1991 to advance inter-professional education and practice, and health services, public health, and clinical research in community settings to eliminate persistent racial and ethnic disparities in health and inequities in the determinants of health among diverse urban populations.