About

A not-for-profit organization providing
more than 80,000 New Yorkers with
primary and behavioral healthcare, dental,
nutrition, wellness, and needed support
services.

Our network is made up of 13 federally qualified health centers throughout Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Manhattan, along with a fleet of mobile vans that bring health services to underserved people in need throughout New York City. We provide judgment-free, high-quality healthcare, without regard to race, religion, orientation, gender identity, immigration status or ability to pay. We turn no one away.

Mission

We are deeply committed to the communities we serve, and strive to increase accessibility to care, while empowering our patients to take control of their health.

 

Community Healthcare Network’s (CHN) mission is to provide access to quality, culturally-competent and comprehensive community-based primary care, mental health and social services for diverse populations in underserved communities throughout New York City.

When we can get these communities healthier, every New Yorker will benefit.

History

CHN has been committed to providing access to quality healthcare services for low-income and uninsured New Yorkers for more than 30 years. Our story begins in the late 1960’s, when a group of storefront clinics in NYC began dedicating themselves to offering family planning services.

In 1981, to strengthen management and administration of these twelve community-based health care centers, the Community Family Planning Council was established.

The clinics soon expanded to include primary care, mental health and social services. In 1998 the name was changed to Community Healthcare

Network to better reflect our comprehensive array of services.

 

Since its inception, the agency has grown tremendously in response to such social crises as unequal distribution of medical care, adolescent pregnancy, AIDS, inner city poverty and homelessness.

Here is a glance at our history

  • 1981

    Founded as the Community Family Planning Council

  • 1986 

    Became first provider in NYS to offer prenatal care to shelters on the mobile health clinic

  • 1987 

    Offered HIV counseling and testing

  • 1991

    First family planning agency in US to offer comprehensive HIV primary care to HIV  infected women

  • 1994

    Granted Article 31 license in Brooklyn

  • 1996

    Began transitioning to full primary care including adult medicine adolescent care,  pediatrics and well-baby care

  • 1998 

    Helen B. Atkinson Health Center became first 330 New Start health center

  • 1998

    Name changed to Community Healthcare Network

  • 2000

    Transition to comprehensive primary care complete at all centers

  • 2000

    Opened first dental clinic at HBA

  • 2004

    Became one of the first in nation to adopt HIV rapid test

  • 2006

    All centers designated Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC)

  • 2007

    Assumed management of the Downtown Health Center, now the Catherine M. Abate Health Center

  • 2008

    Adopted Electronic Health Records

  • 2009

    Assumed management of the Long Island City Health Center

  • 2010

    Received NCQA Recognition for Level 3, Patient-Centered Medical Home

  • 2011

    Assumed ownership of the Tremont Health Center and the Family Health Center

  • 2014

    Opened the new Community League Health Center

  • 2015

    Opened school based health center at the Seward Park Campus

  • 2015

    Inaugurated the Nurse Practitioner Fellowship Program

A patient-centered
medical home

At Community Healthcare Network, we provide each patient with a primary care doctor and an expert team that includes nurse practitioners, social workers, health educators, nutritionists, dentists, podiatrists, and mental health therapists.

A PCMH is a health center that helps a patient with all of their primary health care needs

A PCMH should be a patient’s first stop for medical care.

At a PCMH, a patient’s primary care doctor works with a care team. CHN’s care team includes nurse practitioners, social workers, health educators, nutritionists, dentists, podiatrists, and mental health therapists.

If a patient needs to see a specialist, CHN’s care team works together to coordinate this care and keep the patient on track.

Joint commission
accredited

At Community Healthcare Network, we value excellence. That’s why we receive the gold seal of approval every year from the Joint Commission.

The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standard-setting and accrediting body in health care. The Joint Commission evaluates health care organisations and inspires them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 20,500 health care organisations and programs in the United States.

CHN is a Federally Qualified

Health Center (FQHC)

The main purpose of the FQHC Program is to enhance the provision of primary care services in the underserved urban and rural communities. FQHCs qualify for enhanced reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid, as well as other benefits.

There are many benefits of being an FQHC. CHN is a Public Health Service Act 330 grant recipient, so a big benefit is the grant funding.