Abstract
Context: Although community health centers (CHCs) arose in the 1960s as part of a Democratic policy push committed to social justice, subsequent support has been shaped by paradoxical politics wherein Republican and Democratic support for CHCs continually morphed in response to changes in the health policy landscape.
Methods: Drawing on the CHC literature and empirical examples from firsthand accounts and reporting, this article explains CHCs’ curious historical development from 1965 to the present.
Findings: Both Republicans and Democrats have calibrated their support for CHCs in response to a broader set of political considerations, from antiwelfare policy commitments to aspirations of establishing a national health care plan.
Conclusions: CHCs have proven to be a politically malleable policy tool within the broader context of American health care policy. The COVID-19 pandemic raised new questions about CHCs’ sustainability and future, but CHCs will continue to play a critical role in providing health care access to underserved populations. They also will continue to be an attractive bipartisan policy option within the larger framework of US health policy.
