Community Health Center

A Community Health Center is committed to improving the health of its community. Health is broadly defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not simply the absence of disease or infirmity.

To achieve good health community health services strongly emphasize prevention, early intervention, rehabilitation and education, in addition to direct care.

Activities that a community health service may be involved in include:


 * Delivery of services, such as podiatry, counseling and physiotherapy, both at offices and by outreach services
 * Health promotion and education
 * Case management, advocacy and intervention
 * Creating collaborative relationships with industry, government, hospitals and other health services.

Community health services are an important part of the health sector. They are vital in helping to create and maintain well-being and good health, particularly in those who are least able to pay. They are about long-term effort that reflects and implements the principles of empowerment, access for marginalised groups, community partnership, and client focused and integrated multi-discipinary services.

A Community Health Center is committed to improving the health of its community. Health is broadly defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not simply the absence of disease or infirmity. [1]

To achieve good health community health services strongly emphasize prevention, early intervention, rehabilitation and education, in addition to direct care.

Activities that a community health service may be involved in include:

Delivery of services, such as podiatry, counseling and physiotherapy, both at offices and by outreach services Health promotion and education Case management, advocacy and intervention Creating collaborative relationships with industry, government, hospitals and other health services.[1]

Community health services are an important part of the health sector. They are vital in helping to create and maintain well-being and good health, particularly in those who are least able to pay. They are about long-term effort that reflects and implements the principles of empowerment, access for marginalised groups, community partnership, and client focused and integrated multi-discipinary services.[1]

Community health centers that receive federal funding through the Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS, are also called "Federally Qualified Health Centers." Today, there are more than 4,000 federally-supported service delivery sites, comprised of community health centers, migrant health centers, health care for the homeless centers and public housing primary care centers that deliver quality primary and preventive health care to more than 15 million people in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Pacific Basin. Through the years, health centers have built an impressive track record delivering high quality prevention and primary care to millions of low-income residents in inner cities and isolated rural areas.

In 2002, President Bush launched the Health Centers Initiative to significantly increase access to primary health care services in 1,200 communities through new or expanded health center sites. Between 2001 and 2006, the number of patients treated at health centers has increased by over 4.7 million, representing a nearly 50 percent increase in just five years. In 2006 the number of patients served topped the 15 million mark for the first time.

Approximately two-thirds of health center patients are minorities, and 9 out of 10 have incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty line. Four in 10 health center patients have no health insurance.

The health center program’s annual federal funding has grown from $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2001 to $1.99 billion in fiscal year 2007.