This year marks 20 years since Central Counties Health Centers became a federally qualified health center and moved from the basement of the First Presbyterian Church to a small medical office on the corner of 11thand Monroe (in the fall of 1999).
In the early 1990s the Sangamon County Medical Society founded a free clinic at First Presbyterian Church to provide healthcare to those that slipped through the cracks. As the need outpaced the capacity of the volunteer clinic, community leaders came together to find a better way to serve. From this community health initiative Central Counties Health Centers was born.
In 2005 a grocery store, which had been repurposed into an auto parts warehouse, was born again as a health center. With new space came new services; general dentistry, as well as medical care, was available to everyone regardless of ability to pay.
By 2015 Central Counties Health Center’s story began to repeat and further expansion doubled the size of the building bringing with It, behavioral health, a laboratory, and a pharmacy to 2239 E Cook Street.
Now Central Counties Health Centers looked beyond the east side of Springfield pinpointing services to areas of need. As a result, clinics in Jacksonville and Taylorville were established and affordable dental care was made available at St. Johns’ Hospital and the Hope Pavilion.
Central Counties Health Centers now serves more than 20,000 people each year, through a myriad of programs, and is continually looking to better serve the underserved.
Timeline
Early 1990s
Group of volunteers from the local medical society provides health care to those in need at First Presbyterian Church, Springfield, IL.
1997
A not-for-profit organization formed called Healthy Springfield 2000 (HS 2000)
October 1999
HS 2000 was funded as a federally qualified health center (FQHC). HS 2000 opened on Springfield’s east side. In its first full year HS 2000 provided 3,087 patients with primary care services.
2002
HS 2000 changes its name to Central Counties Health Centers, Inc. (CCHC) with sole site being Capitol Community Health Center. CCHC serves 5,681 patients in 2002.
2003
CCHC successfully secures funding for the Health Care for the Homeless program and provides 322 homeless individuals with healthcare.
2004
CCHC relocates to newly purchase 20,000 sq. ft. facility and adds dental services.
2005
CCHC provides 10,044 patients with healthcare. 2,559 dental patients use the dental program.
2010
CCHC provides 17,204 patients with healthcare.
2014
CCHC completed construction on a project to double the size of the current facility.
2016
CCHC opened a new medical/dental site in Jacksonville, Illinois and a new dental site in St John’s Hospital in Springfield.
2017
CCHC opened a new medical site in Taylorville, Illinois and reopened Noll Dental Clinic in Springfield.
2018
CCHC currently employs seven physicians, nine nurse practitioners, four dentists, two registered dental hygienists, and one licensed clinical social worker.
Central Counties Health Centers 