Community Health Centers

PROGRAM HISTORY

Community Health Centers (CHCs) were first funded by the Federal Government as part of the War on Poverty in the mid-1960s. By the early 1970s, about 100 neighborhood health centers had been established under the Economic Opportunity Act (EOA). These centers were designed to provide accessible, dignified personal health services to low income families. The PHS began funding neighborhood health centers in 1969. With the phase out of EOA in the early 1970s, the centers supported under this authority were transferred to the Public Health Service (PHS). Currently, the CHC Federal grant program is authorized under section 330 of the PHS Act.

MISSION

CHCs provide family-oriented primary and preventive health care services for people living in rural and urban medically underserved communities. CHCs exist in areas where economic, geographic, or cultural barriers limit access to primary health care for a substantial portion of the population, and they tailor services to the needs of the community.

ACTIVITIES

• Offer CHC services that include primary and preventive care, outreach, and dental care.
• Offer essential ancillary services such as laboratory tests, X-ray, environmental health, and pharmacy services as well as related services such as health education, transportation, translation, and prenatal services.
• Provide links to welfare; Medicaid; substance abuse treatment; Women, Infants, and Children program; and related services.
• Facilitate the involvement of more than 65 percent of the CHCs in managed care contracts, including health maintenance organization primary care provider (networks) or State Medicaid managed care case manager networks.
  

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Division of Community and Migrant Health
Bureau of Primary Health Care
4350 East-West Highway, 7th Floor
Bethesda, MD 20814
301/594-4300
301/594-4497 FAX
www.bphc.hrsa.gov