There are over 1,000 Community Health Centers with 5,000 delivery sites spanning urban and rural communities in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  While health centers address the specific needs of each community they serve, they are united from coast to coast through their health care mission.

A Federally Qualified Health Center’s (FQHC) mission is to provide high quality, comprehensive care for individuals and families regardless of their ability to pay.

They are community owned, nonprofit businesses governed by a board of directors comprised of area volunteers.  FQHCs receive a federal grant under Section 300 of the Public Health Service Act that enables them to serve medically underserved areas with few or no healthcare providers and with many low income and uninsured people.  Payment for services is based on the patients’ ability to pay.  Patients are charged on a sliding fee scale to ensure income or lack of insurance is not a barrier to health and dental care.  Medicare, MaineCare and private insurance are billed for patients with coverage. 

Care is provided through a team-oriented approach, using medical, dental, and mental health professionals to ensure patients get the care they need when they need it.  FQHCs are strongly linked to the communities they serve. They work with other public and private health services to coordinate resources for effective patient care.  FQHCs contribute to the strength and well-being of their community.

FQHCs are economically beneficial to the communities they serve. They employ staff from the communities in which they are located and often attract other investment to the area.  FQHCs are here to help you and your family gets the health care you need whether or not you can afford to pay.