Andie Patterson, Director of Government Affairs

CaliforniaHealth+ Advocates Key Contacts

For the past two years, CaliforniaHealth+ Advocates has built a robust Key Contacts program to further advance our legislative agenda. A large part of the driving force behind the passage of Advocates legislation year-to-year are strong, and well leveraged, relationships between elected officials and their local health centers. Elected officials want to hear from their constituents and they trust their constituents as a valued source of information.

CaliforniaHealth+ Advocates Key Contact program was developed to build and maintain strong, positive relationships between health center leaders and their elected representatives.  Key contacts, working in close coordination with both Advocates and the consortia, are asked to maintain general communication with an assigned congressional office, complete specific campaign-related advocacy objectives, and report back to Advocates and coordinating consortia staff. 

More than anything, the role of the Key Contact is to build and maintain a strong relationship with their state and federal representatives. This relationship building does not need to wait until they are elected, building relationships with candidates as they are running for office can be impactful too.  It is always the right time of year to invite your state representative or candidates to your health centers to educate them on the role of health centers in their community 

As we approach election season, CaliforniaHealth+ Advocates hopes to build our Key Contacts program and asks that anyone who is interested, please contact Victor Christy at victor@healthplusadvocates.org