Community Health Centers

About Health Centers

What Is a Health Center?

Health centers serve as essential medical homes where patients find services that promote health, diagnose and treat disease, and manage chronic conditions and disabilities. In rural communities, health centers support a community’s ability to retain local health care options. The Dakotas’ network of health center organizations provides care to nearly 136,000 patients each year at 66 delivery sites in 52 communities across North Dakota and South Dakota.

Federally qualified health centers are non-profit, community-driven clinics that provide high-quality primary and preventive care to all individuals, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. Health centers are located in underserved and low-income urban and rural areas across North Dakota and South Dakota, providing access to affordable, quality health care for those who need it most.

Services

Health centers provide integrated and comprehensive services, including:

Dental
Medical
Behavioral
Insurance enrollment specialists
Vision care
Translation/interpretation
Pharmacy

Populations

Health centers serve all populations with limited access to health care, including:

Rural and frontier areas
Veterans
Limited English proficiency
Uninsured
Medicare and Medicaid
Low-income

Impacts

Health centers in the Dakotas have a significant impact on their patients and the communities they serve. In addition to bringing quality, affordable health care to populations that wouldn’t otherwise have access, health centers make important contributions to their local workforce and economy, while generating substantial cost savings for the nation’s health care system.

Of the nearly 136,000 individuals health centers in the Dakotas served in 2021, over 27,500 were uninsured, with a large percentage earning below 200% of the federal poverty level. In 2021, health centers served more than 43,000 children, provided dental services to nearly 29,000 individuals, and employed 1,125 full-time equivalents.

According to a 2021 study, health centers across North Dakota and South Dakota have a total economic impact of $266 million, directly contributing to the growth and vitality of local and statewide economies. Health centers also bring significant cost savings to the health industry, with a recent study reporting that each patient receiving care at a health center saved the health care system 24% annually.

Find Out More

ND Snapshot ND Economic Impacts SD Snapshot SD Economic Impacts

History

This timeline showcases the history of Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas (and every iteration prior!) and health centers across North Dakota and South Dakota, beginning in 1973 to the present. The milestones tell the story of how health centers in the Dakotas came to be, how they have grown and expanded services, and how they have impacted the lives of many over the years. Highlights of the timeline include opening dates of health centers, the initial funding for a primary care association, CEO and staffing changes, and much more!

Member Directory

North Dakota

Organization Profile	CEO/Executive Director
Coal Country Community Health Center	Brian Williams
Community Health Service Inc.	Dr. Stephanie Low
Family HealthCare	Patrick Gulbranson
Northland Health Centers	Nadine Boe
Spectra Health	Mara Jiran

South Dakota

Organization Profile	CEO/Executive Director
Community Health Center of the Black Hills	Tim Trithart
Falls Community Health	Dr. Charles Chima
Horizon Health Care	Wade Erickson
South Dakota Urban Indian Health	Michaela Seiber

The Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas (CHAD) is a non-profit membership organization that serves as the primary care association for North Dakota and South Dakota. CHAD supports health center organizations in their mission to provide access to health care for all Dakotans regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. CHAD works with health centers, community leaders, and partners to enhance access to affordable, high-quality health care and find solutions for expanding health care services in the areas of the Dakotas that need it most. For more than 35 years, CHAD has advanced the efforts of health centers in North Dakota and South Dakota through training, technical assistance, education, and advocacy. Currently, CHAD provides a variety of resources to enhance key areas of operations, including clinical quality, human resources, finance, outreach and enabling services, marketing, and policy.

North Dakota

Organization Profile	Contact
North Dakota Primary Care Office	Stacy Kusler
North Dakota American Cancer Society	Jill Ireland

South Dakota

Organization Profile	CEO/Executive Director
Great Plains Quality Innovation Network	Ryan Sailor

Explore Our Network

Find A CHC

North Dakota
South Dakota

View North Dakota CHC Locator in a full screen map

View SD Location Map in a full screen map

Health Centers in the News

News

April 2022
New program supports Native American LGBTQ+ communities

James Valley Community Health Center recognized

Community members receive Grand Forks Public Health Champion Awards at City Council Meeting

May 2022

Yankton Community Health Center Receives Recognition (Horizon)

Community Health Center receives recognition (Horizon)

Community Members receive Grand Forks Champion Awards at City Council meeting

Dream Center opens in Bismarck

Sioux Falls Pride celebrations grow to new location

June 2022

How a Lakota Nurse Uses Trauma-Informed Care to Help Her Community Heal

Horizon Health Foundation receives gift from Heartland Consumers Power District

Falls Community Health gives free in-home COVID-19 test kits

Horizon receives gift from Union County Electric Cooperative

Sturgis to launch new community health program

August 2022

Turtle Lake health care facilities get aid

Horizon Health dental clinic offers mouth guards for student athletes

Horizon Health Care: Healthcare in Rural SD

How the Senate’s insulin cap rejection affects S.D. diabetes patients

Blue Move 5K Run/Walk to raise awareness of Colorectal Cancer August 13

SDSU team named Student Champions for Climate Justice award winners

Someone You Should Know: Native American advocates offer spiritual-based programs through non-profits

Affordable housing, shelter capacity top concerns in first Sioux Falls Homeless Task Force meeting

Homeless Task Force hears ‘firehose’ of info from Sioux Falls organizations

September, 2022

Horizon Health Foundation, Delta Dental team up to offer free dental care for kids

With school started, it’s time to schedule your primary care visits

October 2022

Horizon Health Care’s Chief Dental Officer, Michelle Scholtz, stopped by Keloland Living to talk about Horizon’s Smiles for Miles program.

CHAD CEO Shelly Ten Napel and Wade Erickson, CEO of Horizon Health Care, spoke to the Grand Forks Herald about how Medicaid expansion will help rural health centers.

March 16, 2021
Support for Medicaid expansion grows in South Dakota, one of the last red state holdouts

March 13, 2021
Man wants to create safe haven for LGBTQ families

March 11, 2021
Chiropractors, massage therapists and acupuncturists are decreasing frontline worker burnout

March 3, 2021
Strong start, but hardly a vaccine victory in North Dakota
February 3, 2021
EMDR therapy available

February 2, 2021
Horizon Health Foundation receives gift for medical equipment from City of Woonsocket

February 1, 2021
Children’s & Community Health Care Clinics in Sioux Falls Schools

January 30, 2021
Wonnenberg named Horizon Health Provider of the Year

December 31, 2020
Community Health sees renovations

December 29, 2020
Medical leaders receive the COVID vaccine

December 8, 2020
Horizon Health Care CEO earns regional award, has award renamed in his honor

November 27, 2020
Open enrollment period nearly done

November 26, 2020
Horizon Health Foundation To Celebrate ‘Giving Toothsday’