About Health Centers

Health Centers are local, non-profit, community-owned providers of quality primary and preventive health care. They are located in medically underserved urban and rural communities in every state, including Michigan, and in every U.S. territory. Nationwide, Health Centers are the health care home for 20 million patients at 8,100-plus locations. In Michigan, 32 Health Centers serve nearly 600,000 patients at over 190 sites across the state.

The fundamental principles on which Health Centers were established over 45 years ago set them apart from other providers of health care:

Located in or serve medically underserved areas or populations
Governed by a community board composed of 51 percent or more of Health Center patients who represent the population served
Provide comprehensive primary health care services as well as support services (e.g. education, translation, transportation) that promote access to health care
Provide services available to all with fees adjusted based on ability to pay
Meet strict performance and accountability requirements regarding administrative, clinical, and financial operations as established by the federal government

Each Health Center’s staffing models, facilities, scope of services, and approaches are tailored to meet the unique needs of its patients and community. Many individuals have difficulty accessing health care because of where they live, the language they speak, and their complex health care needs. Health Centers provide culturally appropriate health care that is close to where patients live, at times that are convenient, and in languages the patients can understand.

Health Centers have professionally trained health care teams. These teams may include board-certified or board-eligible physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, certified nurse midwives, medical assistants, mental health and substance abuse professionals, dentists, and dental hygienists. The clinicians of each team work together to provide a core of primary health services to individuals and families throughout all life stages, from pediatric through geriatric.

"Health Center" is used to refer to Health Center Program grantees and Federally Qualified Health Centers. Of Michigan's 32 Health Centers, 27 are Health Center Program grantees, three are FQHC Look-Alikes, and two are both a Health Center Program grantee and an FQHC Look-Alike.

Health Center Program Grantees

Health Center Program grantees are organizations that receive grants under the Health Center Program as authorized under section 330 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. There are four types of Health Center Program grantees, which may also be referred to as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), federally-funded Health Centers, or HRSA-funded Health Centers.

Community Health Centers (Section 330E): CHCs were developed in 1965 in response to community need for improved health services for inner city populations. As part of the federal government’s War on Poverty, funding was made available for communities to establish primary care centers to provide comprehensive health services, regardless of ability to pay. Although there have been many changes in the CHC program over the years, its foundation remains the same—to provide high-quality primary and preventive health care to people in rural and urban medically underserved areas.

Migrant Health Centers (Section 330G): MHCs were established in 1962 to provide comprehensive primary care to migrant and seasonal agricultural workers and their families in a culturally sensitive environment. Like CHCs, MHCs provide comprehensive health care services to their target population at a price that is affordable and regardless of insurance status. MHCs use culturally-sensitive clinical protocols, bilingual health personnel, and lay outreach workers. In 2010, five Migrant Health Center Centers operated 57 sites and served 16,858 migrant and seasonal farmworkers in Michigan, about 18% of the state's migrant and seasonal population.

Health Care for the Homeless Centers (Section 330H): HCHs were modeled after a demonstration project jointly funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Pew Charitable Trust, the Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) program was initiated in 1987 as part of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. In 1996, Congress joined the HCH program to the Community, Migrant, and Public Housing Primary Health Care programs under a single authority called the Consolidated Health Center Program. The HCH program provides federal grants to non-profit organizations to deliver primary health care and substance abuse services to homeless individuals and families. Like the CHC program, the HCH program provides a multidisciplinary approach to the delivery of care by combining systems of primary care, substance abuse and mental health services, patient management, and education with aggressive outreach. Either through direct provision or through established links with other community agencies, eight Michigan HCH programs operate 54 sites and serve over 15,659 homeless individuals in the state.

Public Housing Health Centers (Section 330I): The Public Housing Primary Care Program was established in 1990. Public Housing Health Centers support the provision of accessible and comprehensive primary and preventive care to residents of public housing. Health promotion and disease prevention are emphasized, and primary health care services are provided on the premises of public housing developments or at other locations immediately accessible to residents of public housing. There are currently no Public Housing Health Centers in Michigan.

Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alikes

Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look-Alikes are Health Centers that have been certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), based on recommendations provided by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)/Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC), as meeting all Health Center Program requirements. FQHC Look-Alikes do not receive funding under the Health Center Program. This certification makes them, like Health Center Program grantees, eligible for fair reimbursement through Medicaid and Medicare, participation in the 340B federal drug pricing program, and assists in recruiting and retaining providers through the National Health Service Corps and the State Loan Repayment Program.

2012 Health Center Fact Sheet

Michigan Primary Care Association also represents community-based providers as well as Indian Health Service organizations and Ryan White Care Title III Clinics:

Indian Health Service: The most prominent provider of health services to American Indians is the Indian Health Service (IHS). It provides both direct care and contract care to members of federally recognized tribes on or near federal reservations.The IHS funds two MPCA members - American Indian Health & Family Services of Southeastern Michigan and Bay Mills Health Center - to provide urban Indians in southeast Michigan and Chippewa County, respectively, with comprehensive health care services, which include medical, community health, dental, and mental health/substance abuse services.

Ryan White CARE Title III Clinics: Health care organizations funded under the Ryan White CARE Act Title III Early Intervention Services Program provide a comprehensive continuum of outpatient HIV primary care services including HIV counseling, testing, and referral; medical evaluation and clinical care; other primary care services; and referrals to other health services. Community Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, and Health Care for the Homeless sites funded under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act may receive Title III grants.

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