Celebrating Our 40th Anniversary

2024 is a big year for the West Virginia Primary Care Association. We’ve officially spent four decades representing, unifying, leading, and aiding our state’s Community Health Centers. 

For those unfamiliar, Community Health Centers aren’t your average doctor’s office. One-third of West Virginians are served by these healthcare providers, who treat patients regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.

All across our state, in both rural and urban areas, Community Health Centers change lives every day. They help retired folks on fixed incomes afford prescription medication. They provide access to dental services and behavioral healthcare in our state’s most rural communities. And they work to ensure that every West Virginian has access to affordable, patient-centered healthcare. 

“People used to go to the emergency room for having a cold because they had no place to go,” said Jill Hutchinson, Board Chair of Valley Health Systems and former CEO of the WVPCA. “Health centers came in and said, ‘Okay, we care about you people. We want to give you the services that you need and your community needs.’”

Over the past 40 years, we at the WVPCA have helped health centers increase the number of patients they serve. We’ve also played a crucial role in developing innovative programs tailored to community needs. Thanks in large part to our efforts, West Virginia leads the nation in 340B pharmacy policy and operates more school-based health centers per capita than any state. 

“Prior to the growth of school-based health centers, there were so many children who did not have adequate services,” says Rick Simon, former CEO of Community Care of West Virginia. “They weren't getting their annual well-child checkups because it can be very difficult for families who are working to get off, take their child to a doctor, and then sit in the waiting room for two hours before they can get back to school and get back to work.”

Accessing affordable healthcare is difficult for many West Virginians, not just those with children. But we at the WVPCA believe this can change. It’s why we’ve spent the past four decades doing the work we do. It’s why we continue to educate the public about the importance of Community Health Centers. And it’s why we continue to advocate for policies that will support our most vulnerable patients. 

“At their core, health centers are about caring for people. Many West Virginians, due to whatever situation they’re in, cannot get the healthcare they need—healthcare which could save their lives,” said Jill Hutchinson. “Everything that we do at the WVPCA is about supporting health centers as they work to meet community needs.”

Our vision of a healthy West Virginia has driven our work for the past forty years, and we look forward to continuing to serve our state’s Community Health Centers for decades more to come.  

As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, we reflect on how far we’ve come and reaffirm our commitment to improving healthcare access for all West Virginians. Join us in this journey by discovering the impact of our work and finding your nearest Community Health Center today on our new and improved website. Here's to another forty years of dedication, innovation, and community care.

Discover the impact of our work and find your nearest community health center today on our new and improved website.