Reaching Out With Patient-Centered Care

Missouri Community Health Centers are local, non-profit, community-driven health care providers serving low income and medically underserved communities. For nearly 50 years, Missouri’s health centers have provided high-quality, affordable primary care and preventive services, and often provide on-site dental, pharmaceutical, and mental health and substance abuse services.

Also known as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), they are located in areas where care is needed but scarce. They improve access to care for thousands of Missourians regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. Missouri’s Community Health Centers provide services in each region of the state and serve individuals from every county including the City of St. Louis. They are the medical home to 450,000 Missourians and provide 1.6 million encounters each year – numbers that continue to grow. 

Community Health Center patients are among Missouri’s most vulnerable populations. People who, even if insured, would nonetheless remain isolated from traditional forms of care because of where they live; who they are; the language they speak; and their higher levels of complex health care needs. Almost 75% of their patients have family incomes at or below 100% of poverty. Moreover, our Community Health Centers serve a disproportionate level of uninsured and Medicaid patients with roughly 34% being uninsured and another 42% depend on Medicaid. Recognized as one of the most effective programs by the Office of Management and Budget, Community Health Centers reduce the need for more expensive in-patient and specialty care, saving taxpayers millions of dollars.