Health Center History

HCAN History: HCAN was established in 2011 and is funded primarily through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The foundation of the health center movement is the belief that community-centric health care, that seeks to address underlying social factors while also attending to health care needs of their patients, can be a catalyst for change. HCAN will continue to focus our efforts on advancing the health center movement to ensure access, health and well-being for all.

Health Center History: The official establishment of community health centers began during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Building on a vision of comprehensive, community-based services, physician leaders Drs. H. Jack Geiger and Count D. Gibson Jr. pioneered the founding of the first two health centers in the nation at Columbia Point, Dorchester MA, and Mound Bayou, Mississippi, launching a movement in urban and rural areas across the country to improve lives of Americans living in deep poverty. [Photo credit: CHC Chronicles] The first community health centers were more than just providing medical care, it was about strengthening communities through empowerment, community engagement, and holistic health. It was about coming together to drive positive change within communities and improve health outcomes.

Health Center Movement: Health centers seek to address the underlying social factors that impact the overall health of those living in deep poverty. Due to the geographical location of the health centers, they are located in areas where the majority of Nebraska’s uninsured population lives. Community health centers provide exceptional, evidence-based, patient centered care and foster an environment of respect, integrity and caring where all people are treated equally. It was for these reasons, that community health centers have long enjoyed broad bipartisan support.