What is a Community Health Center? Community Health centers are community-based and patient-directed organizations that serve populations with limited access to health care. Family Health Care is honored to be a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) since 1967 – as an FQHC, we are held to the highest standard of regulations under the federal government. It gives FHC pride to know that we are able to meet those standards while still serving residents across Michigan with high-quality, comprehensive, and affordable health care.
Health Center Program Fundamentals
- Located in or serve a high need community (designated Medically Underserved Area or Population). Find MUAs and MUPs
- Governed by a community board composed of a majority (51% or more) of health center patients who represent the population served. More about health center governance
- Provide comprehensive primary health care services as well as supportive services (education, translation and transportation, etc.) that promote access to health care.
- Provide services available to all with fees adjusted based on ability to pay.
- Meet other performance and accountability requirements regarding administrative, clinical, and financial operations.
Community Health Centers have been
- Serving communities and individuals for more than 50 years.
- Providing core health care services to more than 30 million patients per year.
- Forming a safety network for people who might otherwise not have access to medical, dental, behavioral health, and other services.
- Providing access for multiple health care services by offering a sliding fee discount to help adjust health care costs based on income.
- Lowering patient hospital admission rates, and creating shorter stays, and less expensive admissions.
- Reducing infant mortality rates in the communities they serve.
- Assisting in the prevention of health emergencies such as H1N1.O
- Operating more than 1,250 health centers in all 50 states and all U.S. territories.
- One Stop shopping concept for health care, providing access to medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, laboratory, radiology, and other services essential to primary care services.