Community Health Centers (CHCs) are non-profit, community based providers that remove common barriers to care by serving medically-underserved communities who otherwise confront financial, geographic, language, cultural, and other barriers.

CHCs:

• are located in high-need areas identified as having elevated poverty, higher than average infant mortality, and where few physicians practice
• are open to all residents, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay tailor services to fit the special needs and priorities of their communitites, and provide services in a linguistically and culturally appropriate manner
• provide comprehensive primary and other health care services, including services that help their patients access care, such as transportation, translation, and case management
• provide high quality care
• are cost effective, reducing costly emergency, hospital, and specialty care, saving the health care system money

CHCs are governed by a community and consumer based Board of Directors and the location, hours of operation, staff and programs of each Center are tailored to meet the specific needs of the community in which it is located. All CHCs must adhere to national, state and local licensure requirements and quality standards, and are held accountable by the Bureau of Primary Health Care for specific program expectations. As a result, CHC quality standards are among the highest in the health care industry.

CHCs are time-tested models of community-based care. They represent strong partnerships of people, governments and communities working together to improve the health status of their respective communities