Community Health Access Network

What is a community health center?

America's Health Centers are private, not-for-profit, consumer-directed health care agencies which provide high quality, cost-effective, and comprehensive primary and preventive care to medically underserved and uninsured people.

These community-based providers are also commonly referred to as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) because they meet rigorous federal standards related to quality of care and services as well as cost, and they are qualified to receive cost-based reimbursement under Medicaid and Medicare law.

Community Health Centers provide health care to low-income and medically underserved Americans, and they never turn anyone away – regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.

What services do Health Centers provide?
Health Centers focus on wellness and early prevention, the keys to cost. Health Centers provide more than just treatment for illness or episodic conditions. They offer comprehensive, "one-stop" services and a "health care home" for patients in their communities.

Like all good family doctors, Health Centers provide ongoing care and health management for families and individuals throughout their lives. Health Centers are staffed by more than 6,000 physicians, together with thousands of nurses, dentists, other health professionals and volunteer staff.

Health Center services generally include primary care visits, health education, disease screening and control, case management, laboratory services, dental care, pharmacy services, substance abuse counseling, and social services. Many offer evening and weekend hours for working families, provide care at multiple sites, use mobile clinics to reach rural and other hard-to-reach populations, and employ multi-lingual staffs.