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Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and the Health Center Program – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and the Health Center Program.

Safety Net Primary Care Capabilities After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines the ability of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) versus non-FQHCs to provide safety net care to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes 1,245 primary care practices, focusing on their characteristics such as census region and ownership, as well as their safety net care services, such as screening for social needs or ability to provide opioid treatment. Discusses the importance of FQHCs to access quality primary care, particularly for rural populations.
Author(s): Karen E. Schifferdecker, Ching-Wen W. Yang, Matthew B. Mackwood, et al.
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 5(8)
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
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Health Center Program History
Provides an overview of the history and development of the Health Center Program. Covers legislative, regulatory, and organizational changes that have shaped the program. Highlights how health centers have worked to address emerging health issues and health disparities throughout their history.
Additional links: The Health Center Program: Partnering with Communities to Build a Healthier Nation
Date: 08/2024
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Bureau of Primary Health Care
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Community Health Centers' Progress and Challenges in Meeting Patients' Essential Primary Care Needs: Findings from the Commonwealth Fund 2024 National Survey of Federally Qualified Health Centers
Summarizes findings from the 2024 Commonwealth Fund National Survey of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), which received responses from 737 FQHC leaders in fall 2023 and spring 2024. Explores the extent to which FQHCs achieve primary care accessibility, comprehensiveness, and coordination. Compares findings to data from the 2018 version of this survey to assess how care delivery changed over time. Describes barriers FQHCs face in offering high-quality care. Presents data by rural and urban location throughout.
Author(s): Celli Horstman, Corinne Lewis, Alexandra Bryan, Sara Federman
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Federally Qualified Health Center Sites in Rural Areas
Printable map that shows the location of Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) sites that are located in rural areas (outside U.S. Census Bureau Urban Areas with a population of 50,000 or more). Data source: data.HRSA.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Date: 07/2024
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Community Health Centers: Providers, Partners and Employers of Choice - 2024 Chartbook
Presents graphs, charts, and data highlighting services provided by Community Health Centers, characteristics of the patients served, and progress made in improving access to healthcare. Reports on health centers' financial health, workforce status, economic impact, challenges to meeting the demand for healthcare needs, and more. Section 5 presents statistics on telehealth service offerings between 2018 and 2022 with breakdowns by urban or rural status. Contains maps with data by state throughout.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Telehealth Policies and Federally Qualified Health Centers, Spring 2024
Provides an overview of telehealth policies for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Covers originating and distance sites, reimbursement, services outside the four walls of the FQHC, and more. Includes a chart of FQHC Medicaid telehealth reimbursement eligibility policies by state.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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National Health Service Corps Site Reference Guide
Provides clarification for National Health Service Corps (NHSC) sites regarding eligibility requirements, qualification factors, compliance, roles and responsibilities, and other factors for becoming an NHSC approved site. Acts as a supplemental resource to the information provided in the online NHSC Site Application.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Changes in Buprenorphine Prescribing in Community Health Centers
Analyzes changes from 2016 to 2021 in prescriptions of buprenorphine in Community Health Centers (CHCs) to treat opioid addiction. Utilizes data from the OCHIN Inc network of CHCs to analyze patient and clinic/clinician characteristics, including rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Daniel M. Hartung, Robert W. Voss, Steffani R. Bailey, Nathalie Huguet, John Muench
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 5(4)
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
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Become a Health Center
Provides information on becoming a Health Center Program awardee or look-alike. Includes details on applying for health center program funding and the benefits of look-alike designation, including Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid.
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bureau of Primary Health Care
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A Federally Qualified Health Center and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Partnership in Rural Missouri
Case study describing a medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) program partnership between a Federally Qualified Health Center and a certified community behavioral health clinic in rural southwest Missouri. Covers the infrastructure of the MOUD program, staffing and services, financing, and more. Highlights challenges and successes, as well as recommendations for other health centers interested in a similar partnership.
Author(s): Ashley Jasko, Meryl Schulman
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Last Updated: 9/24/2024