History

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Alameda Health Consortium was founded as a non-profit organization to advocate for and support community-based health centers in Alameda County that emerged from the national community health center movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

This dynamic social movement arose because the health care needs of low-income communities were not being met by the mainstream health care system. (Photo: Alameda Health Consortium’s current Executive Director Ralph Silber with Christopher Martinez, first Policy Analyst, protesting tax loopholes in Oakland, CA.)

Community-based federally qualified health centers now provide access to affordable, high quality health care, where people are treated with respect and dignity regardless of income, education, insurance status, race/ethnicity and immigration status. Alameda Health Consortium’s first Executive Director, Harvey Smith (far left), is seated among community members at the Health Policy Forum during Community Health Day in 1982.

Community-based federally qualified health centers now provide access to affordable, high quality health care, where people are treated with respect and dignity regardless of income, education, insurance status, race/ethnicity and immigration status. Alameda Health Consortium’s first Executive Director, Harvey Smith (far left), is seated among community members at the Health Policy Forum during Community Health Day in 1982.

Since its founding the early 1970s, the Alameda Health Consortium has grown as a regional association of eight community-based, private non-profit federally-qualified health centers (FQHCs). Together, the member health centers operate more than 75 clinic locations that serve more than 184,000 people in Alameda County in 2014. Left to right: Congressman Mike Honda, Board Member Sherry Hirota, Clinic Appreciation Awards 2012.

Our member health centers formed Community Health Center Network in 1996 to participate more effectively in newly-launched state managed care programs. The formation of CHCN built upon 20 years of collaboration in health policy and advocacy work through the Alameda Health Consortium. CHCN is committed to excellent, affordable care for underserved communities of the East Bay. As a non-profit Medi-Cal managed care organization, it provides business administrative support for community health centers to focus on what matters most–patients.

Our member health centers formed Community Health Center Network in 1996 to participate more effectively in newly-launched state managed care programs. The formation of CHCN built upon 20 years of collaboration in health policy and advocacy work through the Alameda Health Consortium. CHCN is committed to excellent, affordable care for underserved communities of the East Bay. As a non-profit Medi-Cal managed care organization, it provides business administrative support for community health centers to focus on what matters most–patients.