State Sen. Paul Feeney received the “Community Health Center Champion” Award at the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers’ annual Advocacy Day at the Massachusetts State House on Monday, May 12.
The senator was honored with this award in recognition of his strong support of Manet Community Health in Attleboro and his support for legislation that would support Massachusetts’ network of 50 community health centers to care for their patients.
“I am incredibly humbled to accept the “Community Health Center Champion Award” from the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers at their annual Advocacy Day at the State House. I firmly believe that community health centers form the backbone of our healthcare system and serve the most critical need in ensuring reliable and affordable healthcare, especially primary care, for a wide-range of community members and needs,” said Feeney. “I am proud to serve as a champion of the great work done by Community Health Centers in the Senate, including Manet Community Health Center in Attleboro and CEO Cynthia Sierra who go above and beyond to fill critical gaps in primary healthcare access in our region.”
The award came during the Mass League’s annual State House Day where legislators, as well as community health center leaders, providers, and staff from across Massachusetts, advocated for the Mass League’s 2025-2026 legislative agenda. Feeney is a cosponsor and proponent of S. 711, An Act relative to rate equity for community health centers, a key piece of the Mass League’s legislative agenda for this session. If passed, the bill would require private insurers to reimburse community health centers for care at the same rate as Medicaid. Currently, private insurers pay health centers less than the Medicaid rate, meaning health centers often lose money when they care for privately insured patients.
The Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers (Mass League) provides a framework of support for the Commonwealth’s 50 community health centers and its other members. Among many initiatives, the Mass League’s training, technical assistance, and advocacy help health centers best serve their patients and adapt to the ever-changing landscape of health care.