Who We Are |
Laurie Francis, Executive Director
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Achieving high levels of health and wellbeing for all is within the United States’ grasp. As conversations about Medicaid funding shortfalls persist, it is important to consider the program’s inception.
In the 1960s, the public pressured; the government responded. In order to achieve equitable health outcomes, we understood the need to eliminate poverty and racial injustice. With this in mind, funding for community health centers, such as Partnership Health Center (PHC), began at the same time as Medicare and Medicaid. |
PHC has promoted wellbeing through comprehensive, patient-focused, equitable care for decades. To
recognize National Health Center Week, we are sharing the often-hidden impacts of social determinates
on health in our community. Providing access to excellent, whole-person health care saves $24 billion
(National Association of Community Health Centers) in annual health system costs and PHC alone,
through cutting-edge innovations, has saved Montana over $500,000.
PHC began as a community response filling the need for affordable primary care in Missoula County in
1989. Fast-forward 30 years, PHC now serves 15,000 individuals, attracting those who have many options
and those who have few. Our commitment to healthy people and strong communities fully embraces
issues of justice. As unequal outcomes in health persist, PHC expands sites that offer high-quality,
comprehensive access to medical, dental, and behavioral health services.
Simultaneously, PHC is devoted to an “upstream” approach. This means that while PHC delivers
comprehensive services to individuals and families, we also work to effect changes at the policy level that
will improve health and wellbeing. Too often health care is limited to responding to health problems of
individual patients rather than working to mitigate structural conditions such as poverty, environmental
issues, and work-related conditions caused by regressive public policy.
recognize National Health Center Week, we are sharing the often-hidden impacts of social determinates
on health in our community. Providing access to excellent, whole-person health care saves $24 billion
(National Association of Community Health Centers) in annual health system costs and PHC alone,
through cutting-edge innovations, has saved Montana over $500,000.
PHC began as a community response filling the need for affordable primary care in Missoula County in
1989. Fast-forward 30 years, PHC now serves 15,000 individuals, attracting those who have many options
and those who have few. Our commitment to healthy people and strong communities fully embraces
issues of justice. As unequal outcomes in health persist, PHC expands sites that offer high-quality,
comprehensive access to medical, dental, and behavioral health services.
Simultaneously, PHC is devoted to an “upstream” approach. This means that while PHC delivers
comprehensive services to individuals and families, we also work to effect changes at the policy level that
will improve health and wellbeing. Too often health care is limited to responding to health problems of
individual patients rather than working to mitigate structural conditions such as poverty, environmental
issues, and work-related conditions caused by regressive public policy.
Who We Serve
52% of our patients report living at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. This means that they qualify for medical, dental, and behavioral health services at discounted costs.
29% of our patients live at or below 100% of the federal poverty level. For a single person, this means they live on less than $12,140 a year and for a family of four, this means they live on less than $25,100.
7% of our patients identify as homeless. Partnership Health Center is a Health Care for the Homeless grantee and we provide medical care five days a week and behavioral health care two days a week at our clinic in the Poverello Center.
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