FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 06, 2026
CONTACT: Sylvia Romo, sromo@seiuclinicspartnerhsip.org
SACRAMENTO, CA – The State of California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) has awarded $2.1 million to the SEIU–Community Clinics Labor Management Cooperation Committee (LMCC) through the High Road Training Partnership (HRTP) 2025 Grant Program. This new investment builds upon the earlier HRTP Resilient Workforce grant that supported the development of the LMCC in partnership with the Shirley Ware Education Center (SWEC) and other workforce development partners, bringing the total State investment in this innovative labor–management collaboration to $15.4 million.
The LMCC’s proposal was selected as one of only 7 awards statewide, underscoring continued confidence in the LMCC’s high-road workforce strategies at a time when Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are facing unprecedented challenges. It also strengthens the ability of non-profit community based clinics to provide health services to the most vulnerable populations regardless of ability to pay. With rising pressures on clinics, particularly within the context of federal funding cuts that strain access to care, the state’s investment in to help address healthcare workforce shortage comes at a critical moment.
This 24-month investment, beginning January 1, will support expanded high-road training pathways across the Bay Area and Central Coast, including medical assistants, community health workers, behavioral health staff, dental assistants, and multilingual clinical support roles—positions essential to sustaining access to care for vulnerable patient communities.
“This funding supports our ability to build the diverse, culturally responsive workforce our patients rely on,” said Julia Liou, MPH, CEO of Asian Health Services. “As demand for care grows, strengthening our workforce is essential—and this funding allows us to continue to train, retain, and uplift the workers who keep our clinics running.”
“Community health centers are engines of strength in neighborhoods that have long been underestimated,” said Robert Phillips, President and CEO of Baywell Health. “Our teams don’t just deliver care—they anchor trust, dignity, and possibility for families who count on us. At a moment when Federally Qualified Health Centers are being asked to do more than ever, this investment recognizes the excellence and resilience of our staff. It fuels their ability to continue offering care that uplifts entire communities.”
The LMCC brings together SEIU union locals, community clinic employers, and nonprofit training partners to co-design sustainable workforce solutions rooted in worker voice and high-road principles.
“This new grant, combined with the State’s earlier $13.3 million investment, affirms that community clinics and their workers are essential to California’s healthcare future,” said Sylvia Romo, Executive Director of the SEIU–Community Clinics LMCC. “At a time when clinics are under immense pressure and more patients than ever depend on them, this support allows us to strengthen workforce pipelines, improve job quality, and help stabilize access to care statewide.”
The HRTP-funded work engages Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Locals 521, 721, 1021, and UHW, representing tens of thousands of health clinic workers across California.
“The SEIU–Clinics partnership is building a statewide model for how community health centers can offer good jobs while delivering quality care,” said David Green, President of SEIU Local 721 and Co-Chair of the joint SEIU–Clinics Trust Fund.
“Behavioral health workers are carrying enormous responsibilities as California faces a growing mental health and substance use crisis,” said Ana Valdes, Chief Healthcare Officer, HealthRIGHT 360. “This investment helps strengthen the pipeline of skilled, compassionate professionals who provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive behavioral healthcare. Supporting these workers is supporting the health of entire communities.”
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About the SEIU–Community Clinics LMCC
The SEIU–Community Clinics Labor Management Cooperation Committee (LMCC) is the first labor–management partnership in California’s Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) sector, bringing together union leaders and clinic employers to jointly design high-road workforce solutions that improve job quality, expand career pathways, and strengthen care for underserved communities.
Leadership Team employer members of the SEIU-Clinics partnership include Asian Health Services, Baywell Health, Clínica Monseñor Oscar A. Romero, Gardner Health Services, HealthRIGHT 360, Salud Para la Gente and St. John’s Community Health. Leadership Team labor partners include SEIU Locals 521, 721, 1021 and the United Healthcare Workers-West.