CHCs Today: Adapting to Change, Sustained by Mission
Today, the state's 52 community health center organizations provide care to one out of every nine people
(more than 760,000 state residents) through 285 sites across the state. These sites offer primary, preventive
and dental care, as well as mental health, substance abuse and other community-based services to anyone in
need regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Nationally, health centers total more than 1,000 and
serve more than 16 million people.
VIDEO - History of CHCs | Video courtesy of WCVB-TV Channel 5's Chronicle
Massachusetts community health centers care for patients of all ages and racial and ethnic backgrounds, and represent a major source of care for medically underserved women and children. Health center patients are disproportionately low-income, publicly insured or uninsured, and are at higher risk for contracting chronic and complex diseases. Ninety percent of health center patients have incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level or $41,300 in annual income for a family of four. Sixty-seven percent of Massachusetts health center patients belong to an ethnic or racial minority group.
Consumer Based Governance
While many health care organizations talk about being consumer or patient focused, few have institutionalized that commitment to the same degree as community health centers. The belief that community members can play a direct role in improving their life circumstances, including health status, was the driving force behind the health center model. Health center boards of directors continue to be driven by community members who receive care through their local health center.
Linguistic and Cultural Competency
As the racial and ethnic diversity of Massachusetts' communities has increased over the past several decades, community health centers have evolved to meet the needs of changing patient populations. More than 39 languages are spoken by health center staff or available through interpreters. The success of community health centers in reducing racial and ethnic disparities has been documented in dozens of national studies.
Accessible, Quality Care
Community health centers are receiving increasing attention as a solution for reducing health costs and ensuring health quality in Massachusetts and across the nation. There are dozens of national studies on the cost-effectiveness and quality of care provided by community health centers and their demonstrated and historic savings to state Medicaid programs and other insurers.
Patients served by community health centers have complex medical and social needs that can make adherence to prevention and medical treatment plans more difficult. Innovative health center programs in prenatal care, cancer prevention, pharmacy management, and chronic disease management improve the health of patients and can reduce reliance on higher cost emergency department and hospital care. Health centers also provide extensive outreach and enrollment assistance services to ensure that patients can access the public and private health insurance programs for which they are eligible.
Economic Engines
In addition to their health and social service roles, health centers are stable community assets that operate as economic development engines within low-income communities by producing goods and services; offering critical entry-level jobs, training, and career building opportunities that are community-based; and serving as anchors for attracting new businesses and investments into the community. In 2008, Massachusetts health centers contributed $722 million to the state’s economy, generated $505 million in household income and supported more than 10,000 jobs.