Bonamici Calls for Restoration of Funding for Children’s Health Insurance, Community Health Centers

HILLSBORO, OR [10/27/17] – Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) visited the school-based health center at Hillsboro's Century High School and met with students, staff, and health care advocates about the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). It has been twenty-seven days since Congress allowed funding for CHIP and Community Health Centers to expire on September 30, 2017. Oregon receives $250 million per year in CHIP funding, which covers about 98,000 Oregon children. Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center operates the school-based health center at Century High School and relies in part on CHIP and Community Health Center funding.

"Congressional leadership has shown disregard for the health and well-being of vulnerable children by allowing the Children's Health Insurance Program to lapse," said Bonamici. "School-based health centers help students get the care they need, and make life easier for working families. Virginia Garcia relies on stable CHIP and Community Health Center funding to provide quality health care at their six school-based health centers and five community-based primary care clinics. I call on my colleagues in Congress to restore funding for CHIP and Community Health Centers in a bipartisan bill without delay. We should be improving access to health care, not making it harder."

"We were very excited about the opportunity to show off the Century School-Based Health Center in Hillsboro to Congresswoman Bonamici," said Serena Cruz, executive director of the Virginia Garcia Memorial Foundation. "Not only does the clinic provide critical access to comprehensive health care to kids 0-21 years of age, it brings it to them at the schools, ensuring that they don't have to miss school just to go to the doctor. The support we receive from our Federal partners ensures that the kids of Washington and Yamhill counties will continue to receive the care they need to stay healthy. We deeply appreciate the support and exposure that Congresswoman Bonamici has given this critical issue."

In Congress, Bonamici has been a champion for school-based health centers because they provide students with convenient access to physical and mental health care without requiring that parents take time out of their work day to transport their children to an off-campus clinic.

You can download pictures of the Congresswoman's visit to Century High School here.

You can download video of the Congresswoman defending CHIP on the House Floor here.