• April Joy Damian, Melanie Gonzalez, May Oo, and Daren Anderson.
• From the Weitzman Institute, Middletown, CT. adamian2@jhu.edu.
• J Am Board Fam Med. 2021 Feb 1; 34 (Suppl): S85-S94.

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak poses serious health risks, particularly for older adults and persons with underlying chronic medical conditions. Community health centers (CHCs) serve as the patient medical home for populations that are disproportionately more susceptible to COVID-19; yet, there is a lack of understanding of current efforts in place by CHCs to prepare for and respond to the pandemic.MethodsWe used a comprehensive cross-sectional survey and focus groups with health care personnel to understand the needs and current efforts in place by CHCs, and we derived themes from the focus group data.ResultsSurvey respondents (n = 234; 19% response rate) identified COVID-19 infection prevention and control (76%), safety precautions (72%), and screening, diagnostic testing, and management of patients (66%) as major educational needs. Focus group findings (n = 39) highlighted 5 key themes relevant to readiness: leadership, resources, workforce capacity, communication, and formal policies and procedures.ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated long-standing CHC capacity issues making it challenging for them to adequately respond to the outbreak. Policies promoting greater investment in CHCs may strengthen them to better meet the needs of the most vulnerable members of society, and thereby help flatten the curve.© Copyright 2021 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

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