Florida’s federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) have provided comprehensive, culturally competent, high quality primary health care services to medically underserved communities for more than 50 years. Florida’s 49 FQHCs treat 1.5 million patients at more than 500 locations statewide. Sites also include mobile medical, dental, and vision units.

The Jessie Trice Community Health System, Inc. (JTCHS) operates 55 locations across Miami-Dade County. These sites provided 156,300 visits to 44,400 unduplicated patients in 2018 – of which 94.6% of patients reporting incomes were at or below 200% of the poverty level and 87.1% of patients were either covered by Medicaid or had no insurance.

Using IMPLAN modeling software, the state primary care association, the Florida Association of Community Health Centers (FACHC), has determined the overall estimated economic impact of the Jessie Trice Community Health System in 2018 was $60.5 million. 

There is an additional return on investment of $0.94 for each $1.00 invested in JTCHS, which nearly doubles the impact of any investment in this FQHC.

The Jessie Trice Community Health System acts as a valuable employer, accounting for 553 jobs in 2018 throughout their service area. In addition to the 301 positions at the health center (direct jobs), the 55 locations also contribute to 213 additional indirect/induced jobs as a result of respending of monies throughout the community, at large.

Jessie Trice Community Health System (JTCHS) is one of Miami-Dade County’s preeminent federally qualified community health care centers, governed by a remarkably dedicated Board of  Directors (51% of the members are users of the medical & dental services) and a diverse, incredibly talented, committed family of providers and staff. JTCHS is a Florida 501 (c) 3, notfor-profit, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), which has been serving Miami-Dade County since 1967. JTCHS served its first patients from a trailer and more than 50 years after its founding, JTCHS owns and operates (15) health clinics which includes a 40- bed Women’s Residential Center for substance use and two (2) universities. We also provide health care to forty (40) school-based health clinics.

Clinical outcomes and a focus on reducing healthcare disparities rank us among the best community healthcare organizations in the nation, according to accreditation reviews from the Joint Commission. Our Ambulatory and Behavioral Health programs have been Joint Commission accredited since 1999. We were the 1st FQHC in the state and in 2011 we were 1st in Florida to be certified as a Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH). We focus on prevention and intervention initiatives like diabetes, HIV/AIDS, pediatric asthma, cardiovascular, hypertension, dental caries in children, prenatal/perinatal health, immunizations, cancer and depression to name a few.

The Florida Association of Community Health Centers (FACHC) is designated as Florida’s Primary Care Association (PCA). The primary mission of FACHC is to improve access to quality health services by bringing together agencies, legislators and key persons able to affect health care services. Learn more about FACHC and the FQHCs detailed in this report at our website: http://www.fachc.org