Community Health Centers
BIDMC’s Affiliated Community Health Centers
At Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), we believe that community health centers are in a unique position to provide accessible primary care and specialty services to medically underserved communities.
Our Story
In 1965, physician-activists founded the first community health centers in the United States in Massachusetts and Mississippi with federal funding from the Office of Economic Opportunity, as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty
BIDMC was involved in the community health center movement from its earliest days, partnering with The Dimock Center in 1968 to address maternal health improvements for underserved populations in Roxbury. Our strong commitment and support of CHCs continues today as health centers are a vibrant and critical part of BIDMC's care delivery system.
Our Impact
Six community health centers are affiliated with BIDMC, collectively providing care to over 120,000 patients throughout Greater Boston and Cape Cod. In 1997, BIDMC was instrumental in helping a group of health centers form the Community Care Alliance (CCA).
Community Care Alliance (CCA) is a group of health centers that work together to help people in Greater Boston get the care they need. It was started in 1997 as a collaboration between community health centers and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and continues today with Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH). All of the CCA health centers work closely with BILH to make sure patients get affordable, comprehensive and community oriented health care.
Community Health Centers
BIDMC's affiliated health centers provide care to over 120,000 patients at multiple sites throughout Eastern Massachusetts. Five of the health centers are Section 330 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), and one, Bowdoin Street Health Center, operates under BIDMC's license.
BIDMC’s licensed and/or affiliated health centers ensure access to primary and specialty care, behavioral health and oral health for diverse patient populations, including the vulnerable and underserved. BIDMC has a deep appreciation for community health centers, as they are a valuable member of the BIDMC family in the delivery of care, education and research that truly responds to community needs.
Joseph M. Smith Building 495 Western Avenue
Brighton, MA 02135
617-783-0500
