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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Program

    Program Description

    The Department of Health, Bureau of Family Health, funds the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Program through a grant with the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC) to engage FQHCs in improving care to children and youth with special health care needs* (CYSHCN).  The goals of the FQHC Program include:

    • Increasing access to quality health care for CYSHCN
    • Offering services to CYSHCN to prevent illness and injury
    • Offering family-centered services to CYSHCN

    Mission

    The FQHC Program's mission is to increase the number of CYSHCN who receive improved care coordination services.  

    Care coordination involves collaborating with non-clinical services to assure that CYSHCN experience a seamless continuum of clinical and non-clinical services that improve their health outcomes and quality of life.

    The program accomplishes its mission by funding creative projects in FQHCs that address:

    • improved navigation of services for CYSHCN and their family members
    • increase access to a broad range of needed services 
    • coordinating care with specialists and mental/behavioral health professionals
    • targeting services to low-income, rural, and other under-served people in Pennsylvania

    Why is the FQHC Program Important?

    Nearly 22% of children and youth under age 22 in Pennsylvania have a special health care need.  One in five Pennsylvania families has a CYSHCN.  CYSHCN and their families often require services from multiple systems:  health care, public health, education, mental health, and social services.

    Projects

    Through the FQHC Program, the Department of Health currently funds six FQHCs to conduct special projects.  These FQHCs serve over 26,000 CYSHCN, including:

    • 22,333 with physical conditions
    • 4021 with mental conditions
    • 10,191 with developmental conditions 

    Many of these children and youth have multiple conditions.  In calendar year 2024 the program served 4845 CYSHCN.  The FQHCs use creative interventions to improve health outcomes and increase quality of life:

    • Hiring professionals with education and experience working with special needs
    • Screening very young clients for developmental delays
    • Connecting clients with peer support
    • Integrating clinical services with screenings for social determinants of health, behavioral health services, and a robust referral network

    Who to Contact

    For more information contact the Bureau’s Division of Community Systems Development and Outreach at RA-DHCSDO@pa.gov.  

    To learn about FQHCs and their availability by region, contact PACHC.
    Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers
    1035 Mumma Road, Suite 1
    Wormleysburg, PA 17043
    (717) 761-6443
    www.pachc.org

    *Children and youth with special health care needs are under age 22 and have chronic physical, mental,  or developmental conditions that require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children and youth generally. 

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