A successful partnership
Nearly 60 years ago, the federal government launched a program that has changed health care delivery in this country. It started with two clinics founded in the 1960s. Today, the Health Center Program is a key part of the nation’s health care system, with more than 15,000 sites nationwide.
This is the story of a successful partnership between communities and the federal government. It’s truly a joint achievement and a model of an effective, high-functioning program.
Growing and evolving
President Lyndon Johnson’s Office of Economic Opportunity funded the first health centers in the 1960s. By the early 1970s, all health centers were transferred to the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and overseen by the Bureau of Community Health Services (BCHS).
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) was created in 1982 and the Health Center Program was then managed by HRSA’s Bureau of Health Care Delivery and Assistance. This became the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) in 1992.
“There are no bureaus I know in the U.S. government that have done as much to serve low-income people,” according to Dr. Edward Martin, former BCHS director. “It’s a major success story.”
The Health Center Program has seen many changes through the years. There have been increases in funding as well as reductions. There have been leadership changes. There have been changes in oversight and new reporting requirements. There have been new disease outbreaks and natural disasters. There have been emerging technologies and new responsibilities.
Through it all, the program has kept its focus on the mission: to improve the health of the nation’s underserved communities and populations. “Every staff member in this bureau knows that mission, and they believe in it,” according to Jim Macrae, BPHC Associate Administrator.
Documenting our history
This website provides an overview of the program’s history and development. It is based on interviews with more than 50 people. These include current and former HRSA employees, health centers and other partners.
Learn more about the history of the Health Center Program and the people who made it happen.
Contents
Download the full compendium report (PDF - 29 MB).