NACHC Announces Center for Mobile Health to Advance Mobile Health Care Delivery

BETHESDA, MD - Feb. 9, 2026 - The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) today announced the launch of the Center for Mobile Health, the nation's first comprehensive resource hub dedicated to expanding points of care through mobile health care programs and policy initiatives.

The Center for Mobile Health will convene leading mobile health experts to support the 674 (45%) Community Health Centers (CHCs) that operate at least one mobile unit and grow the number of CHCs using mobile units to reach populations with limited access to health care.
Supported by The Leon Lowenstein Foundation, Direct Relief, Mobile Specialty Vehicles, and Matthew's Specialty Vehicles, this Center brings together innovation in philanthropic leadership, humanitarian aid expertise, and mobile health clinic manufacturing to strengthen the infrastructure that brings care to people where they are.

Mobile health units generate an estimated $14 return for every $1 invested in primary care (13:1 for low income), according to Mobile Health Map, a Harvard Medical School program, primarily through reduced emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and improved preventive care.

"Community health centers have a history of reaching patients where they need care the most, in hard-to-reach rural and frontier communities, at schools and places of worship, and to care for patients who are homeless," said Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, President and CEO of NACHC. "The Center for Mobile Health will enhance community health center's ability to adopt new technologies that can improve outcomes, reduce costs, and expand access.

Industry partners Mobile Specialty Vehicles and Matthews Specialty Vehicles bring decades of experience designing and manufacturing state-of-the-art mobile health units tailored to meet specific community needs.

"As a leader in specialty vehicles, we are excited to partner with NACHC to help advance the delivery of quality health care services regardless of location," said Brad Matthews, CEO, Matthews Specialty Vehicles.

"Mobile health care is no longer a pilot concept - it's becoming an essential infrastructure for how care is delivered in rural and underserved communities," said Chad Newcomer, CEO, Mobile Specialty Vehicles. "At Mobile Specialty Vehicles, we've spent decades designing and manufacturing purpose-built, commercial-grade platforms that allow providers to deploy care reliably, sustainably, and at scale. We're proud to support NACHC and the Center for Mobile Health as they move the industry forward, helping turn national strategy into real-world implementation that expands access and improves outcomes."

The Center for Mobile Health work is focused on four areas:

• Science: Evidence-based research and data to demonstrate the impact and return on investment of mobile health delivery, including patient outcomes, cost-effectiveness studies, and population health analytics.
• Education: Comprehensive training programs, certification opportunities, and workforce development resources for staff operating mobile units, covering clinical care, logistics, technology integration, community engagement and partnerships.
• Practice: Best practice toolkits, operational guides, and peer learning networks that enable CHCs to launch, optimize, and sustain mobile health programs. The Center will facilitate knowledge exchange among mobile health leaders and mobile programs to strategize best practices in real-time.
• Policy: Advocacy and policy analysis to advance sustainable funding models, regulatory frameworks, and reimbursement policies that support mobile health delivery as an essential component of the primary care safety net.

"Too often, patients in rural and urban communities lack access to high-quality essential health care services," said Stewart Hudson, Executive Director, Leon Lowenstein Foundation. "We are proud to support NACHC to help springboard greater access to essential health care services in underserved areas."

As the nation's largest primary care network, CHCs serve 52 million patients-1 in 7 and 1 in 3 in rural America-at more than 17,000 locations. Mobile health units extend this reach even further, bringing comprehensive, affordable care directly to people facing transportation barriers, geographic isolation, or other obstacles to accessing traditional health care facilities.

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About NACHC

NACHC's mission is to champion Community Health Centers delivering affordable, effective, comprehensive primary care that is community-driven and improves health for all.  For more information, visit www.nachc.org.