Becoming A CHC

The Health Resources and Services Administration's Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC), a unit of the US Department of Health and Human Services, supports Community Health Centers as a major component of America's health care safety net – the nation's system for providing care to low-income and other vulnerable populations. Community Health Centers care for 16 million people across the US, and the Bureau of Primary Health Care funds over 1,000 Health Center organizations.

Community Health Centers care for people regardless of their ability to pay or health insurance status. They provide primary and preventive health care, as well as enabling services such as transportation and translation. Many Centers also offer dental, mental health, and substance abuse care on-site.

General criteria for starting a Community Health Center are as follows:

• Must address the health care needs of a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) or Medically Underserved Population (MUP)
• Must be not-for-profit (public or private)
• Must provide comprehensive primary health care, directly or via contract
• Must ensure that patients can access care regardless of ability to pay
• Must provide:
• Primary medical care
• Diagnostic labs/radiological services
• Preventive services
• Eye, ear, and dental services
• Voluntary family planning services
• Preventive dental services
• Emergency medical services
• Pharmaceutical services
• Substance abuse and mental health services (directly or by formalized referral)
• Patient case management services
• Enabling services: outreach, transportation, translation
• Health education
• Must have appropriate clinical and administrative leadership
• Must utilize adequate practice management systems
• Must use clinical processes to guide provision of services
• Must have a Quality Management Plan and related programs
• Must use a sliding fee scale for patients at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level
• Must have a community-based Board that independently exercises key authorities:
• Hiring the CEO / ED
• Adopting policies / procedures
• Establishing services and hours of operation
• Establishing sliding fee scales, discount schedules, and annual budget
• Conducting strategic planning, quality assessment, and other functions
• Must have at least 51% of Board members who are regular patients of the Center
• Must have a management team working with the Board to develop community needs assessments and marketplace trend assessments, to ensure that true needs are met
• Must have financial systems that provide internal controls, safeguard assets, maintain adequate cash flow, assure access to care, and maximize revenue from non-Federal sources

For more information on starting a Community Health Center in your community, please visit the web site below for free information supported by the Bureau of Primary Health Care:
http://iweb.nachc.com/downloads/products/05_start_chc.pdf