Plan funds Travis County community health centers,

‘Most challenging’ days for health clinics cited before news of deal.

Travis County health care leaders Wednesday called on Congress to extend funding for community health centers, hours before bipartisan Senate leaders unveiled a plan that would do just that.

The plan comes as Congress scrambles to pass a spending bill by Thursday to prevent the second government shutdown this year. The Senate deal includes two years of funding for the Community Health Center Fund.

“I can unequivocally say that this is probably the most challenging funding period that we’ve ever faced as health centers,” said Jaeson Fournier, CEO of CommUnityCare Health Centers, at a press conference Wednesday. “Unfortunately, I think community health centers are just subject to the goings-on currently within Congress.”

CommUnityCare provides medical and dental services to underserved communities, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay, at 19 sites throughout Travis County. Last year, CommUnityCare, which also receives funding from Central Health, Travis County’s health care district, attended to 93,000 patients.

Fournier said about $4.2 million of the organization’s funding from the federal program is at risk.

“While community health centers effectively address health care access and reduce health disparities ... our ability to do so is directly tied to funding that’s avail-

RALPH BARRERA / AMERICAN-STATESMAN Dr. Guadalupe Zamora (left), board chairman at Central Health, walks the hallways Wednesday of the Southeast Health and Wellness Center on Montopolis Drive with Gregorio Jimenez, a medical student at the University of Texas Medical Branch.