Community Health Care, Inc.**

Through its two primary care sites and three school based locations, Community Health Care serves approximately 11,000 residents of Cumberland County and parts of Salem County. In 1997, approximately 2,800 new medical patients and 1,600 new dental patients were registered at the health centers. Overall, there were more than 40,500 provider visits and 26,000 visits for other health related services.

Utilizing various grants, the health center is able to focus on some of the special needs of area residents. With funds from the New Jersey Health Initiatives, the health center has developed a lay health promoter program in which migrant farm workers are educated to empower the migrant community to access health and social services.

With funds from the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services and local foundations, the health center provides barrier free immunizations to more than 600 children in the community each year through its Shots For Tots Program. The Department also provides grant funds for a program to reduce unnecessary emergency rooms visits by increasing access to primary care through patient education and teaching patients who use the emergency room for non-urgent care how to access primary care.

The school based programs at Community Health Care provide onsite medical, mental health and social services to children and adolescents at three school locations in two school districts. Approximately 1,500 students, from kindergarten through twelfth grade, receive care through these programs. The Kids' Center school age child care (SACC) program at the Downe Township Elementary School has been awarded national pilot accreditation from the National School Age Child-Care Alliance (NSACA). The need for school based services has continued to grow and Community Health Care is working on expansion of its programs to other school districts in the area.