The idea of community health centers is believed to date back to 1901 when physician Sara Josephine Baker created milk stations in New York City to provide “clean milk” for infants. Thirteen years later the city established its first “district health center” in New York which served 35,000 residents of Manhattan’s lower east side. The staff consisted of one medical inspector and three nurses. In comparison, NOAH serves over 50,000 patients with nearly 500 employees today.
In 1915 the program expanded to add four more health centers in Queens. Sadly, the work of these early health centers ended shortly thereafter due to war and political pressures.
Privately funded health centers filled the healthcare gaps from 1916 until the 1960s when the Office of Economic Opportunity established what were initially called “neighborhood health centers”.
The first official community health center opened in 1965 in Dorchester, Massachusetts and is still in operation today as the Geiger-Gibson Community Health Center.
Following this model, community health centers aimed to fight the “war on poverty” began popping up throughout the country. Encompassing educational, legal, dietary, and environmental programs in addition to medical care, these health centers pioneered the concept of integrated healthcare.
Fast forward to 1997, NOAH opened its first health center in Scottsdale. Today, 1,400 health center organizations serve 31.4 million patients at 15,000 sites throughout the country.
For more about the history of community health centers, check out this article and related videos from the National Association of Community Health Centers .
Thank you for this valuable information. As the chair of the JEDI council having places like NOAH for our community is beneficial for all not only the people in need but for the community at large. Keep it going NOAH!!