Assemblyman Rudy Salas, accepts 2022 Health Center Champion Award

The health centers provide high-quality, comprehensive care to 7.2 million Californians each year. Assemblymember Salas was recognized for his commitment to health centers and the patients they serve, as well as his legislative efforts to expand telehealth and his work advocating for investments in the health care workforce.

“I am honored to be recognized as the 2022 Health Center Champion by so many of our hard-working health care advocates,” said Salas. “With the support of our frontline health workers, we will continue to fight for increased investment in our health care workforce so that we can train more nurses, physicians, and doctors to ensure that all Californians, no matter where they live, can receive high-quality care.”

This is in fact the second time that Salas has been awarded a Health Champion Award by California Health+ Advocates. In 2020, he received the award for his efforts in joint-authoring Assembly Bill (AB) 2164, which led the charge to expand telehealth services to reduce barriers to health care during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for families in rural areas.

This year, Assemblymember Salas is being recognized for championing a $51 million state budget request to address the critical health care workforce shortage. This investment would help create new scholarships to train more nurses and doctors, especially in underserved areas.

Additionally, it would fund advanced clinician training and open more slots for nurse practitioners and postgraduate residents who are entering the medical field. Assemblymember has received bipartisan support for this request and will be championing that this investment is included in the 2022-2023 state budget.