About Health Centers

What Is A Health Center?

Community Health Centers provide access to basic health care services in the communities that need them most. Their doors are open to everyone – families and children, farm workers, people experiencing homelessness; those who are uninsured, have Medicaid, or have private insurance. Learn more about health centers and what they stand for by watching these videos.

What makes health centers so unique?

  • They provide much needed primary and preventive health care services. Community Health Centers are not only the provider of choice for millions of patients, they are cost-effective. Investing in health centers has been shown to save the health care system nearly $24 billion annually, yet health centers still perform just as well or better than other health care providers on 94% of quality measures.
  • They are not-for-profit organizations. Each of America’s over 1,500 health center organizations is driven by the mission to improve the health and well-being of the communities they serve.
  • They are consumer-driven and patient-driven. Community Health Center boards of directors must have over 51% patient representation. Because major decisions for the health center are made primarily by patients, health centers are held accountable to the unique needs of their communities.
  • They serve in areas that need them most. Community Health Centers are located in “Medically Underserved Areas”, meaning they open in areas with few doctors and other medical providers or areas where many community members are experiencing poverty.

Did You Know?

Health centers provide comprehensive care to 32.5 million patients at 16,000 service delivery sites in every state and territory.
Find a health center near you

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