Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) marked National Health Center Week by announcing that Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-funded health centers served more than 32.7 million patients in 2025 — an increase of more than 350,000 patients from 2024 and the highest number of patients served in the Health Center Program’s 61-year history.
“America's health centers are proving that prevention works,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “They’re helping deliver President Trump’s vision to Make America Healthy Again by preventing chronic disease before it starts, expanding access to high-quality primary care, and putting patients — not bureaucracy — at the center of our health system. This record shows that when we invest in prevention and address the root causes of disease, we build a healthier, stronger America.”
HRSA-funded health centers provide comprehensive primary care at more than 16,000 service sites nationwide, serving 1 in 8 children, 1 in 5 rural residents, and 1 in 15 adults age 65 and older. Under the Trump Administration, the greatest areas of patient growth in 2025 occurred in rural communities, with health centers serving an additional 308,000 rural patients, underscoring health centers’ critical role in improving access to care where it is needed most.
“Health centers are on the front lines of preventing chronic disease and restoring the health of the American people,” said HRSA Administrator Tom Engels. “Under the leadership of President Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., this Administration is empowering health centers to expand access to high-quality primary care and deliver better health outcomes for the American people. As a result, health centers are serving more Americans than ever before while expanding access to preventive care and improving chronic disease outcomes. These record-breaking achievements underscore the role health centers play in our mission to Make America Healthy Again. HRSA remains committed to ensuring every American has access to affordable, high-quality health care, no matter where they live.” Hear more from Administrator Engels.
In 2025, health centers continued to drive extraordinary results in preventing and managing chronic disease, a cornerstone of the Make America Healthy Again initiative:
- Nearly 713,000 additional adults received body mass index (BMI) screening and follow-up services.
- More than 126,000 additional patients achieved controlled diabetes.
- More than 163,000 additional patients achieved controlled hypertension.
- Nearly 119,000 additional children received weight assessment and nutrition counseling.
- More than 10.5 million patients were screened for colorectal, breast, and cervical cancers, including substantial increases in colorectal and breast cancer screening.
Health centers also delivered major gains in behavioral health and oral health, serving 1.1 million patients with mental health services, up nearly 7 percent; more than 7 million dental patients, up more than 211,000; and more than 332,000 patients with substance use disorder services, up 6 percent.
Building on this momentum, HRSA announced more than $125 million through the Expanded Nutrition Services initiative — a direct investment in food-based interventions and evidence-based nutrition services that get to the root causes of chronic disease, rather than merely treating symptoms. This initiative is a centerpiece of President Trump’s directive to Make America Healthy Again and reflects a fundamental shift toward healthcare that prioritizes prevention.
Health centers also play a vital role in developing the nation’s future health workforce. In 2025, 85 percent served as training sites, supporting more than 68,000 pre- and post-graduate trainees while nearly 32,000 health center staff served as preceptors and educators.
To further recognize health centers’ outstanding clinical quality during National Health Center Week, HRSA is also awarding Community Health Quality Recognition (CHQR) badges to over 1,200 health centers. Of these, more than 400 earned Health Center Quality Leader status, with the top 30 percent of health centers honored with gold, silver, or bronze badges for improving health outcomes and providing high-quality care for their patients.
Learn more about the Health Center Program.
View the 2026 CHQR badge award recipients on the CHQR Badge Dashboard.
Find a health center near you.
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