Texas

Association of Community Health Centers About TACHC

The Texas Association of Community Health Centers, Inc. (TACHC) is a private, non-profit membership association that represents safety-net health care providers in the state of Texas. Our members include Community and Migrant Health Centers, Health Care for the Homeless Grantees, Public Housing Primary Care Grantees, Ryan White HIV/AIDS Grantees, FQHC Look-Alikes, Health Center Networks, and other providers who strive to meet the health care needs of the uninsured and underserved. Our members operate in urban, rural, and frontier areas of the state, and their budgets range in size from $600,000 to over $50 million. Formed in 1983 as the federally-designated primary care association for the state of Texas, TACHC has been providing services to Texas health centers for over 25 years. During this time, TACHC negotiated the Texas Prospective Payment System, a reimbursement model that enables centers to provide quality care to a population with complex medical needs; created Continuous Performance Improvement Programs on a national level; created Group Purchasing Programs which offer lower-than-market rates to centers for pharmaceuticals and medical supplies; and assisted health centers in creating Medicare Accountable Care Organizations. Mission

TACHCs mission is to develop, educate, support, strengthen and advocate for our member centers, their patients and the communities they serve. Our purpose has grown along with our expanding membership and the complexity of the health care system.

Vision

TACHCs vision, however, remains constant: to be one voice expanding a sustainable network of Community Health Centers that serves as the comprehensive care provider of first choice for all Texans. As the state primary care association, TACHC is strategically positioned as a link between federal, state, and local entities working to provide health care for Texas most vulnerable populations.

Major Program Areas

Policy, Research & Advocacy advocate for community health centers and the people they serve as one voice through such activities as legislative policy development and analysis and grassroots advocacy.

Clinical Affairs assist health centers to achieve high-quality, comprehensive health care when needed and where needed through programs such as the Optimized Comprehensive Clinical Care Program.

Recruitment & Retention help centers fill provider vacancies with high caliber health care professionals who have a community mindset by such activities as marketing center job opportunities.

Information Technology Services help centers set up and maintain effective and efficient IT systems that support a wide array of health center functions by providing such services as consultation on IT services and equipment.

Group Purchasing Programs provide cost-savings for health centers and their patients through programs such as the 340Better Pharmaceutical Program.

Technical Assistance assists health centers in sustaining and growing business while also strengthening leadership through supportive assistance such as outreach and enrollment support.

Texas Association of Community Health Centers

5900 Southwest Parkway, Bldg 3 | Austin, Texas 78735 | (512) 329-5959 | www.tachc.org | /TexasCHCs | @TexasCHCs

 High-quality, affordable care for the underserved in Texas

For more than 45 years, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs or community health centers), have provided high-quality, affordable primary care and preventive services to populations who remain isolated from other forms of medical care because of where they live, the language they speak and their complex health care needs. FQHCs are non-profit or public community-owned health care providers serving low-income and medically underserved communities. Health centers improve access to care for millions of Americans regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. FQHCs offer services many other health care providers do not, such as transportation, translation, and culturally sensitive health care aimed at overcoming common barriers to care. Community health centers costs of care rank among the lowest for health care providers, and they reduce the need for more expensive hospital in-patient and specialty care, producing significant savings for taxpayers.

Serving over 975,000 Texans

In 2011, Texas Community Health Centers cared for 975,509 Texans1. Today, Texas is home to 71 FQHCs including 2 FQHC Look Alikes.2 They support more than 330 primary care service delivery sites in 113 counties and dozens of enabling services sites such as WIC clinics and senior activity centers. Consistent with the health center mission, many health center clients are uninsured and live below 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL). In 2011, 65% of health center patients identified themselves as Hispanic/Latino. Health Centers also served 115,195 African Americans, 11,435 Asians/Pacific Islanders, 2,070 Native Americans/Alaska Natives, 10,204 multiracial individuals, and 669,801 Hispanic/non-Hispanic whites. 166,804 health center patients declined to report their race.

1 2

All fact sheet data compiled from audited 2011 Uniform Data System. FQHC Look Alikes are centers that meet all the FQHC designation requirements but do not receive federal funding.

Texas Association of Community Health Centers

5900 Southwest Parkway, Bldg 3 | Austin, Texas 78735 | (512) 329-5959 | www.tachc.org | /TexasCHCs | @TexasCHCs