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
Member Directory
Meet Our Members
North Dakota
| Organization Profile | CEO/Executive Director |
| Coal Country Community Health Center | Kurt Waldbillig |
| 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 |
| Complete Health | Tim Trithart |
| Falls Community Health | Amy Richardson (interim) |
| 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
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
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’
November 18, 2020
SOUTH DAKOTA FOCUS: Blood Sugar Rising–South Dakotans & Diabetes
November 11, 2020
The pandemic’s dangerous transition
November 10, 2020
Horizon Health Care Employees Come Together
November 3, 2020
Rural Health Care begins Brookings operations
November 2, 2020
‘It Has Hit Us With a Vengeance’: Virus Surges Again Across the United States
October 28, 2020
Halloween Safety Precautions during pandemic
October 22, 2020
Rural South Dakota Doctor On His Town’s Struggle With Coronavirus Surge
October 21, 2020
October is National Substance Abuse Prevention Month
October 21, 2020
Chicago mayor warns on COVID rise: ‘We are in the second surge’
October 19, 2020
Ways to support parents going through bereavement
October 18, 2020
As coronavirus cases rise, red-state governors resist measures to slow the spread, preach ‘personal responsibility’
October 18, 2020
Spectra Health moves forward with nod to past ties
October 17, 2020
Rural Midwest hospitals struggling to handle virus surge
October 15, 2020
Newbold named Horizon’s chief operations office
September 30, 2020
Horizon Health Opens Yankton Location
September 21, 2020
Rural hospitals say federal work rule leaves them vulnerable
September 21, 2020
Horizon Health Care Opens New Yankton Location
September 17, 2020
Hazen, Beulah superintendents give update on COVID-19 in their districts
September 9, 2020
Dakotas’ COVID Spike: Not Just an Urban Problem
July 1, 2020
The Open Arms of DeSmet and the Lim Family
June 24, 2020
SPECIAL REPORT: Pandemic threatens fragile rural health-care system in South Dakota
June 22, 2020
COOPED-UP From COVID Trip Raffle Provides Protection for Rural Healthcare
June 18, 2020
Clinic geared towards LGBT+ youth opens in Rapid City
June 15, 2020
Free rapid HIV testing available in Sioux Falls
May 20, 2020
More than 100 PPE Distributed
May 13, 2020
Falls Community Health combating COVID-19 with rapid in-house testing
May 10, 2020
Northwestern Energy provides help to Horizon Health Care
May 7, 2020
Stimulus bill sends $1.25 billion to state; funds might cover testing costs
May 6, 2020
Task force to investigate COVID-19 hotspot in Fargo area
April 23, 2020
CDC funds healthcare systems following guidance to stop any non-essential visits
April 19, 2020
North Dakota dentists work through pandemic, only accepting emergency patients
April 5, 2020
Letters to the editor April 5: Rural healthcare key for coronavirus treatment
April 3, 2020
Community health center starts COVID hotline
April 2, 2020
Virus spreads through South Dakota family’s close ties
March 30, 2020
Horizon Health Care receives $76,000 COVID-19 grant
March 8, 2020
Helping those in need
February 20, 2020
Lewis partners with Horizon to open pharmacy depot
February 3, 2020
60 rural hospital CEOs to know | 2020
School based dental clinics offering sealant programs for second graders
January 29, 2020
January is cervical health awareness month
January 21, 2020
De Smet, Howard high school students raise $14K
January 5, 2020
Horizon Health Care Employees Donate Over $55,000 In One Month
December 27, 2019
Horizon Health Care employees donate over $55,000 in one month
December 16, 2019
Horizon Health Foundation raises $20,000 in 24 hours
December 12, 2019
Web conferencing shows promise in mental health treatment
December 5, 2019
12 Days of Christmas: Snowballs
December 3, 2019
SD Day Of Giving: Horizon Health Foundation
November 27, 2019
USDA invests over $1.6 million in the expansion of rural education and health care
November 12, 2019
Western North Dakota’s First Rural Addiction Center Expands
November 7, 2019
Retired pediatrician continues commitment to children’s health in Grand Forks
November 6, 2019
Rural areas in North Dakota struggle to find health care providers
November 1, 2019
Bringing Mental Health Services Directly to Students in Rural Schools
October 30, 2019
New partnership created to increase clinic access in Mitchell
October 30, 2019
Horizon Health Care To Offer VA Health Benefits
October 27, 2019
Horizon Health Care Awarded Oral Health Expansion Grant
October 24, 2019
Horizon Health Care awarded $300,000 grant to expand its oral health services
October 1, 2019
Spectra Health receives $300,000 grant
September 17, 2019
ND, SD clinics get wired for lower costs, better patient record access
September 10, 2019
Letter: Urge Congress to extend funding for community health centers
August 26, 2019
RCTC center offers health care, advice and more under one roof
August 21, 2019
Northland receives grant funding
August 13, 2019
Northland Health Centers offer Medication Assisted Treatment
August 8, 2019
Letter: Keeping our communities healthy
KELOLAND LIVING: School Based Health Centers
August 7, 2019
Community Health Center of the Black Hills celebrates National Health Center Week
August 6, 2019
State community health centers’ economic impact tops $91 million
July 31, 2019
Monitoring micro and macro nutrients can lead to a more sustainable lifetime diet
Mobile Healthcare Unit in Crookston August 6-7
July 29, 2019
Northland Health Center offers different approach to opioid addiction treatment
June 26, 2019
Community Health of the Black Hills receives Black Hills Area Community Foundation Food Security grant
July 22, 2019
Dr. Kinsey Nelson Promoted to Medical Director at Family Healthcare
June 20, 2019
Student debt is keeping doctors from rural areas
April 1, 2019
Access to care, behavioral health, and chronic diseases identified as top Sioux Falls health issues
Report: Sioux Falls struggling with depression, chronic disease, geographic disparity
March 6, 2019
Donations for Smiles – Horizon
March 5, 2019
KELOLAND Living
Bad Breath Remedies [Featuring Falls Community Health Dental Clinic Manager Kelly Piacentino]
March 3, 2019
Horizon Health Foundation Receives Nearly $500,000 For Alcester Dental Clinic Upgrades
February 27, 2019
Carla Schweitzer, CNP, named Horizon Health Care Provider of the Year
February 26, 2019
KXnet – Losing sleep due to stress? You’re not the only one (Northland Health Centers)
February 22, 2019
Rural health initiatives fill life-saving gaps in remote areas
February 14, 2019
Justin Risse named Horizon Health Care Employee of the Year
February 13, 2019
KXNet –Small Town Health Center Tackles Rural Addiction for the First Time (Coal Country)
November 8, 2018
The Forum – November 8, 2018 (Valley CHC MAT)
November 7, 2018
Grand Forks Herald – November 7, 2018 (Valley CHC MAT)
WDAZ – November 7, 2018 (Valley CHC MAT)
February 13, 2018
Budget Deal Brings Sigh of Relief to Mayor, Falls Community Health
February 7, 2018
Funding for Community Health Centers Uncertain Amid Continuing Resolutions
