The mission of the Paterson Community Health Center is to provide quality and respectful health care to the greater Paterson community, especially to the uninsured and underinsured.

Through the years, we have remained committed to our mission and tradition of providing care in a compassionate manner, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. Services are provided to all patients in a sensitive and culturally appropriate manner. Uninsured patients are welcome and outreach efforts are designed to reach patients most in need of comprehensive and accessible medical care.

Overview

PCHC has been operating under this name for the last 32 years and is the only Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Paterson, NJ. Paterson is the third largest city in New Jersey.

PCHC operates two health centers that provide primary medical care and dental care in Paterson’s most needy communities.

PCHC serves the low-income (under 200% of poverty) and uninsured residents of Paterson and offers the sliding fee discount program. No person is denied care to services due to an inability to pay.

In 2021, 85% of PCHC’s patients were low-income (under 200% of poverty), and over 40% of these Patient’s have no insurance. Hispanic American, Black/African American, and Arab American comprise 92% of PCHC’s patients.

The center is situated in a city that includes middle-class flight, a large in-migration of a mostly Latino population from Central and South America, and the arrival of a significant number of Palestinians and other persons from the Middle East.

There are 72,821 low-income (under 200% of the federal poverty level) residents of Paterson and this represents 50.9% of the total population in Paterson.

In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted services, PCHC served 13,950 total patients, 12,355 medical patients, 1,885 dental patients, and 1,365 patients received mental health services and 234 podiatry services. However, at the end of 2021, PCHC served 5,061 total patients, 4,950 medical patients, 684 dental patients, 414 patients received mental health services, and 230 podiatry services.

Thanks to the ongoing support of HRSA’s BPHC health center funding, PCHC was able to continue to provide excellent primary medical care, dental care, and mental health services in the city of Paterson, NJ. Care is provided in a culturally competent environment, both in person and via our telehealth program.