U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, D-AL, recently received the 2019 Distinguished Community Health Defender Award from the National Association of Community Health Centers for his part in advocating for enhancements to rural and community healthcare.

Jones was nominated for the award by the Alabama Primary Health Care Association, an organization that aims to strengthen and expand Alabama health center networks and expand healthcare access for improved outcomes for Alabama patients.

“On behalf of the Alabama Community Health Center Network and the National Association for Community Health Centers, the Alabama Primary Health Care Association is proud to present Senator Jones with the Health Care Defender Award,” said Alabama Primary Health Care Association CEO Mary Hayes Finch. “He has spent time at home visiting health centers and learning more about the importance of health centers and the services they provide in urban and most especially the rural communities of our state. Senator Jones has supported multiple pieces of legislation on behalf of health centers allowing them to continue the mission of care to anyone regardless of their ability to pay. On behalf of the 350,000 Alabamians served by health centers, we extend our gratitude to Senator Jones with this award and we are grateful to have him in our corner.”

Jones has been an outspoken advocate for expanding Medicaid in the state and recently introduced the SAME Act to incentivize expansion in Alabama and other holdout states across the country.

Further, Jones’ Rural Health Liaison Act was included in the recent Farm Bill, which was signed into law last year.

This is not the first time Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, has been recognized for his contributions to advancing healthcare as part of his legislative agenda – he was recently named the 2019 Rural Health Champion by the National Rural Health Association.

“Quality, accessible health care is key to growing our communities, attracting good jobs and keeping our workforce healthy,” Jones said. “I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish over the past year, and I look forward to continuing to advocate on behalf of Alabama’s health care centers and the Alabamians they serve.”