Community Health Center leaders like Kenny McMorris understand the patient experience because they lived it. “My mother did everything possible to raise four boys and a girl in a community plagued with drugs and violence, and I consider myself lucky,” says McMorris. His village of community supporters pushed him to play basketball, get through primary school and business school, and create a path that honed his leadership skills.
McMorris says, “Many people go to business school to make money, but me, I love people. I believe in the spirit of people.” His experiences working at places like the Urban League and 100 Black Men of Omaha further enhanced his skills and gave him insight into the ways poverty, education, and housing can impact a community’s well-being. “I grew up in the Hilltop Housing Projects and I saw firsthand how critical it is to have access to healthcare,” he says. Healthcare and other services in McMorris’ neighborhood were cut away in the 1960s when Highway 75 was built and left the east side with no medical facilities and high poverty rates. He shares, “In the 1970’s a group of community members saw there were far too many challenges to get healthcare, so they got together to start a small health clinic of their own in a small laundromat in the heart of the Hilltop Housing Projects.” This is the site where the flagship location of Charles Drew Health Center, Inc. of Omaha, NE, still stands.
Today, Kenny McMorris is the CEO of the Charles Drew Health Center, Inc. “I was a patient here all the way up to age 18. I went away to college then came back. My mother and my grandmother are patients here, too.” He goes on to explain, “I want this place to feel like a community, a family for our patients, because it is a family for me.”
Because of his experiences, McMorris believes that CEOs of health centers have opportunities to leverage their platform and become powerful advocates for health equity. He says, “Healthcare is not just about treatment; it’s about hope. We have to do a better job of humanizing community health centers for the world.”
Over the years, McMorris has shared his story and built a reputation for being an inspiring business partner for local private, nonprofit, and government sector partners. His human connection and influence redefined healthcare for the underserved in North Omaha and helped Charles Drew Health Center, Inc. expand from four sites to 16, including a brand-new addition to School-Based Health Services slated to come online this fall at a local high school. Eighty percent of the almost 13,000 patients that came to Charles Drew Health Center, Inc. in 2023 live at 100% below the federal poverty level. Still, each patient receives primary care, dental care, mental healthcare, pharmacy services and a strong sense of community during their service visits.
McMorris’ motivational leadership style helped Charles Drew Health Center, Inc. grow to provide almost 40,000 patient visits a year. He stands out as a champion for community health.
“I’m in the business of inspiring people,” McMorris explains. “I just happen to do it through healthcare.”
This broader vision is what distinguishes CEOs like McMorris as influencers. “We are not a monolith in how we serve communities,” McMorris explains about CEOs. “We need to work with business leaders, philanthropists, and elected officials – and cast a vision wide enough to have everyone at the table.” He also stresses the importance of adaptability and understanding the complexities of the healthcare workforce and delivery system as a leader.
McMorris believes health center CEOs must remain curious, open to new ideas, and connected to a range of industries and perspectives. He believes this cross-industry collaboration equips health center CEOs with tools to innovate, adapt, and respond to constantly changing needs.
By sharing his story and the stories of patients that illustrate the real-world impact of health centers, leaders like McMorris help bridge the gap between policymakers, business leaders and the communities they serve. McMorris believes the future of healthcare depends on investing in community-based institutions. “We are the best investment Congress has ever made,” he says confidently. “When a health center thrives, the community thrives.”