Protecting Patients: Reject the Attack on Community Health Centers
Across California, community health centers and clinics play a critical role in keeping millions of Californians healthy, and they are often the only source of care in many communities, including rural areas and health care deserts facing provider shortages and lacking hospitals and physician practices. Health centers are essential to ensuring that all Californians have access to the care they need.
A dangerous statewide ballot measure threatens care for millions of patients who rely on community health centers and clinics. In response, a growing coalition of health care organizations, community health centers and clinics, and community groups has come together to oppose the measure and warn that this ballot measure is a dangerous attack on patients that:
If the ballot measure were enacted, experts warn that the financial strain could push many clinics into deficit. According to estimates, up to two-thirds of California's community health centers could be forced to operate in the red, and some would ultimately close, including clinics in places like the rural north, the Central Valley, and the Inland Empire, where families already face long travel times to access care.
For patients, that could mean fewer local care options and longer wait times. It could also shift demand toward hospital emergency rooms – one of the most expensive forms of care – further straining California’s healthcare system and patients' pocketbooks.
The effects of the ballot measure go well beyond just community clinics and health centers. Clinic closures and reduced services would ripple across entire communities, affecting public health outcomes, economic stability, and health equity.
The measure would also disproportionately impact communities already facing barriers to care, including low-income families, rural residents, immigrants, and communities of color. Community health centers are specifically designed to reach these populations, providing culturally competent and accessible care regardless of ability to pay. Weakening this infrastructure risks widening existing inequities – something many nonprofits are actively working to reduce.
It’s also important to understand what could be lost beyond clinical services. Community health centers frequently serve as trusted community hubs. They connect patients to social services, support public health initiatives, and provide continuity of care that extends beyond a single visit. This integrated model is highly effective and difficult to replace.
For more information on this dangerous ballot measure, please visit ProtectPatientsCA.com. The campaign website has all the latest resources, including: