National Health Care Leaders Award Tester for Support of Community Health Centers

Senator receives ‘Distinguished Community Health Champion Award’ for second year in a row

(Big Sandy, Mont.) – The National Association of Community Health Centers presented U.S. Senator Jon Tester with the Distinguished Community Health Champion Award this week for his work defending community health centers in Montana and across the country.

Tester was presented with the award while meeting with representatives from Montana’s community health centers in Billings, Bozeman, Libby, Missoula, Havre, Kalispell, and Helena.

“Montana’s community health centers are providing access to affordable care for folks all over the state-especially in rural areas,” Tester said. “I am honored to receive this award and I will continue fighting to ensure Montanans are able to get the health care they need without breaking the bank.”

Montana has approximately 40 community health centers that serve more than 100,000 patients each year. In their priorities for an upcoming funding bill, the representatives stressed the need to reauthorize critical investments in community health centers and support for workforce recruitment and retention programs.

Last year, Tester led the charge to secure nearly $1 million in funding for Montana’s community health centers after the Community Health Center Fund expired. He was the only member of the Montana delegation to vote for this measure.

Earlier this year, Tester cosponsored the Community Health Investment, Modernization, and Excellence Act to mandate annual increases in community health center funding for the next five years.

Tester also received the Distinguished Community Health Champion Award in 2018.