Reflections on Success: Health Center Voices

Texas Association of Community Health Centers

Comprehensive Community Development from the Ground Up

As a Primary Care Association, the Texas Association of Community Health Centers (TACHC) provides a wide variety of support to communities throughout Texas in need of new and expanded health center services. Over the last few years, TACHC’s focus has been both on starting new health centers or new sites as well as helping organizations attain FQHC Look- Alike status. As part of its comprehensive approach to health center development, TACHC has periodically surveyed member health centers as well as interested communities and organizations to develop a statewide strategic development plan and then worked directly with communities to prepare and assist them in increasing access to health center services.

As patient-driven and community responsive organizations, health centers require buy in and support from the ground up. TACHC has assisted Texas communities new to the Health Center Program by facilitating meetings and providing education sessions on the benefits of the program. It has also supported the essential health center governance functions by providing training sessions for boards of directors and assisted with the other “nuts and bolts” of starting a new or expanded organization such as developing bylaws as well as policies and procedures for human resources, information management, quality improvement, and even lease agreements.

One of the most successful approaches employed by TACHC has come from its innovative method of combining community development efforts in coordination with the Texas FQHC Incubator Program. The Incubator, started in September 2003, has provided $5 million each year for health center development through planning, operational support, capital acquisitions, and statewide training and technical assistance.