The South Carolina Primary Health Care Association (SCPHCA) is the unifying organization for Community Health Centers (CHCs) in South Carolina. CHCs are time-tested models of community-based care. They represent public and private partnerships working together to improve the health status of their respective communities. First established in 1964, CHCs are community-based, non-profit organizations that provide comprehensive, high-quality, patient-focused health care services in a culturally appropriate manner. With a focus on primary care, prevention, education, and case management, CHCs accept most health insurance plans including Medicare and Medicaid and for those patients without insurance, services are provided on a sliding fee scale based on the patient's income and family size. CHCs receive federal grants through the United States Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) to partially support the cost of providing health care to the nation's growing uninsured population.

Our Mission

The mission of the South Carolina Primary Health Care Association (SCPHCA) is to provide a unified supportive infrastructure that facilitates access to community-based primary, behavioral and other health care services to every community in South Carolina.

Our Vision

 "Access to Quality Health Care for All of South Carolina" 

Our South Carolina FQHCs

• Affinity Health Center
• Beaufort-Jasper-Hampton Comprehensive Health Services, Inc.
• CareSouth Carolina, Inc.
• Careteam Plus (FQHC Look-a-Like)
• Carolina Health Centers, Inc.
• Community Medicine Foundation, Inc. (d/b/a North Central Family Medical Center)
• Cooperative Health
• Family Health Centers, Inc.
• Fetter Health Care Network, Inc.
• Foothills Community Health Care, Inc.
• Genesis Healthcare, Inc.
• Health Care Partners of SC, Inc.
• HopeHealth, Inc.
• Little River Medical Center, Inc.
• Low Country Health Care System, Inc.
• New Horizon Family Health Services, Inc.
• Plexus Health
• ReGenesis Health Care, Inc.
• Rosa Clark Medical Clinic
• Rural Health Services, Inc.
• Sandhill Medical Foundation, Inc.
• SC Agricultural Worker Health Program
• St. James Health and Wellness, Inc.
• Tandem Health SC, Inc.
• Unity on Main (FQHC Look-a-Like) 
  

Our History

May 3, 1979:Initial meeting of the South Carolina Primary Health Care Association (SCPHCA) was held as two board members and three at-large members were elected. In addition, the Board adopted by-laws.

August 3, 1979: The SCPHCA was incorporated.

1980: Three consumer representatives and one provider were elected to the board. Committees were formed, and goals were set for 1980-1988. 

1982: The SCPHCA applied to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) for charter membership. 

1985-1986: Executive Director Edward Thomas Lucas, Jr. and staff were hired by the SCPHCA.  An office was established at State Park, SC in a space donated by SCDHEC. The SCPHCA's grant application for Year 1 was approved for $120,000. The SCPHCA signed a cooperative agreement with SCDHEC.

1987: $200,000 in State appropriations for development of CHCs was included in the SCDHEC budget for FY 1988. Lathran J. Woodard was hired as Associate Director.

1988: SC CHC Director Roland Gardner was installed as President of NACHC.

1989: SC General Assembly approved a $500,000 appropriation for recruitment and retention of physicians to practice in rural areas of the state.

1991: SC General Assembly appropriated $739,946 for physicians to practice in rural areas.  More than 20 CHC clinicians benefited from the program.  Lathran J. Woodard was named the Executive Director of SCPHCA.   

1994-1995: The SCPHCA's budget increased by 140 percent over the previous year's funding.  The SCPHCA received a grant from the National Health Service Corps to implement the SEARCH program.  

1998: SC CHC Director Carolyn Emanuel-McClain was installed as President of NACHC.

2004:  The SCPHCA became the grantee for the SC State Migrant Program and entered a partnership with the Small Business Chamber.