About Health Centers
For over 50 years, Federally Qualified Health Centers (commonly known as Community Health Centers) have been providing primary care, oral health, and mental health services for our nation's rural and underserved communities.
These health centers, supported by federal funding, have spread across the country and now serve over 30 million people in 13,000 communities across America. In Louisiana, 41 Community Health Center organizations collectively operate over 470 individual health care facilities. In 2022 alone, these organizations served over 489,000 individual patients and saw well over one million patient visits.
From Tallulah to Thibodaux and communities in between, Louisiana's Community Health Centers serve as one-stop-shops for all of your primary care needs - regardless of insurance status or your ability to pay.
An FQHC provides health services to those who have limited access to health care - although anyone is welcome! Unlike many private practices, FQHCs welcome low-income individuals, the uninsured and underinsured, immigrants, seasonal farm workers, homeless, and those living in public housing. FQHCs obtain a large portion of their funding from Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act by HRSA, but they are administered by locally-based nonprofit organizations governed by a board of directors.
Federally Qualified Health Centers provide comprehensive services with a team-based approach to patient care. Typically, services include preventative health care, dental, mental health, and substance abuse treatment. Some different types of FQHCs include:
- Migrant Health Centers
- Community Health Centers
- Health Centers for Residents of Public Housing
- Health Care for Homeless Health Centers
- Outpatient health programs or facilities
A Federally Qualified Health Center strives to meet the needs of an underserved community. FQHCs provide primary outpatient services such as mental health services, primary care, dental, and substance abuse treatment to underserved areas or populations–regardless of insurance or financial standing. As a non-profit and tax-exempt organization, an FQHC can receive grants from the government and Medicare and Medicaid funding.
Every FQHC charges on a sliding fee scale based on the patient’s ability to pay. Whether insured or not, patients can be treated at an FQHC at a cost they can afford. Each health center will establish its own sliding fee scale consistent with local rates and charges.
Federally Qualified Health Centers provide comprehensive services with a team-based approach to patient care. These services are typically outpatient and include primary health services and preventative health care. Other services include:
- Transportation services for patient care
- Hospital and specialty care
- Dental services
- Mental health services
- Substance abuse services
To learn more about the services FQHCs provide, locate your local health center!