Investing in Our Health Is Investing in Jobs

Did you know that for more than 45 years, community health centers have delivered comprehensive, high-quality preventive and primary health care to patients regardless of their ability to pay? For many Americans, community health centers are the primary source of their care. Everything from prevention to treatment. Today, there are more than 8,100 centers around the country providing high quality care for nearly 20 million people.

In addition to keeping our families healthy, community health centers help keep local economies healthy by creating good-paying jobs. That’s why today we announced the availability of $700 million in new funding made possible by the Affordable Care Act to pay for the renovation and construction of community health centers.

Since the beginning of 2009, health centers have added more than 18,600 new full-time positions in many of the nation’s most economically distressed communities. And the new funds announced today will help continue this trend and create thousands of jobs nationwide. Here are some details.  In 2010, community health centers employed more than 131,000 people including:

• 9,600 physicians
• 11,400 nurses
• 9,500 dentists and dental staff
•  6,400 nurse practitioners, physicians’ assistants, and certified nurse midwives
• 4,200 mental health care professionals
• And more than 12,000 case managers and health education, outreach, and transportation staff

All of this is part of the Obama Administration’s ongoing investment in the health of Americans. By improving care and creating jobs we strengthen our communities.