OUR HISTORY

 

Outreach Community Health Centers provides high-quality primary, family and behavioral health services to people throughout the Greater Milwaukee area while maintaining its founding mission to serve the homeless, people experiencing extreme poverty and the uninsured.

Over the last 38 years, our programs have grown to provide a strong continuum of services that respond to the whole life needs of our patients and clients, and deliver those services at five locations in Milwaukee.

 

  • 1982 - Healthcare for the Homeless is granted 501(c) (3) status by the Internal Revenue Service, having started as a volunteer-driven effort known as “Coalition for Community Health Center” in 1979.

  • 1984 - The organization becomes one of 23 homeless demonstration projects in the country with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Pew Charitable Trust.

  • 1985 - Healthcare for the Homeless provides start-up funding for four area clinics, two of which (St. Ben’s Clinic and Salvation Army’s Emergency Lodge Clinic) continue operating to this day. By the fourth month of operations, more than 800 patients have been served.

  • 1986 - With seed funding provided by the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, the organization launches a mobile Street Outreach effort, delivering direct services to people experiencing homelessness in the community, many of whom live with chronic mentally illness.

  • 1989 - Milwaukee County moves to stabilize, strengthen and focus that effort, and offers the company funding to expand services from a new federal program called PATH (Projects for Assistance in the Transition from Homelessness). PATH continues to serve homeless persons with chronic and disabling behavioral health disorders to this day.

  • 1993 - Healthcare for the Homeless receives certification as a Federally-Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and purchases the building at 711 West Capitol Drive, but is still contracting with other health system providers for the delivery of primary care.

  • 1997 -The organization launches the first program targeted to homeless women with children under the name “A Street,” with funding from Milwaukee County.

  • 1999 - During this year, Healthcare for the Homeless begins delivery of direct primary healthcare services at a clinic co-located with Hope House.

  • 2004 - Healthcare for the Homeless leases space at 210 West Capitol Drive to open a dually certified outpatient behavioral health clinic.

  • 2006 - 2007 - The organization opens an adult primary care clinic adjacent to the Behavioral Health Clinic.

  • 2008 - As Columbia St. Mary’s closes a clinic it was operating on the second floor of the 210 building, Healthcare for the Homeless moves to develop the resources and infrastructure needed to expand its services beyond the homeless population.

  • 2011 - Healthcare for the Homeless becomes Outreach Community Health Centers, Inc., offering a full range of primary and behavioral health services to all persons in need of care, homeless and housed, insured and uninsured.

 

 “Through the generosity of supporters, we were able to purchase additional laptops. This allowed one employee to convert to working at home. She is a specialist in analyzing and arranging and critical information and contacts to be sure our patient’s complete referrals outside the clinic. Because of the additional laptop she was able to work from home. On one end of the spectrum, this allowed her to care for her parents, both with chronic health conditions and significant age related risk factors, one with Covid-19 infection; and, on the other end of the spectrum to provide child care to her children who were no longer attending school or daycare in person.”

-Anthony J. Linn, M.D., Chief Medical Officer.

 Our History

 

1982 - Healthcare for the Homeless is granted 501(c) 3 statuses by the Internal Revenue

Service, having started as a volunteer-driven effort known as “Coalition for Community

Health Center in 1979.

1984 - The organization becomes one of 23 homeless demonstration projects in the

country with funding from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation and Pew Charitable

Trust.

1985 - Healthcare for the Homeless provides start-up funding for four different area

clinics, two of which (St. Ben’s Clinic and Salvation Army’s Emergency Lodge Clinic)

continue operating to this day. By the fourth month of operations, over 800 patients

have been served.

1986 - With seed funding provided by the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, the

organization launches a mobile Street Outreach effort, delivering direct services to

people experiencing homelessness in the community, many of which live with chronic

mentally illness.

1989 - Milwaukee County moves to stabilize, strengthen and focus that effort, and

offers the company funding to expand services from a new federal program called PATH

(Projects for Assistance in the Transition from Homelessness). PATH continues to serve

homeless persons with chronic and disabling behavioral health disorders to this day.

1993 - Healthcare for the Homeless receives certification as a Federally-Qualified Health

Center (FQHC) and purchases the building at 711 West Capitol Drive, but is still

contracting with other health system providers for the delivery of primary care.

1997 -The organization launches the first program targeted to homeless women with

children under the name “A Street”, with funding from Milwaukee County.

1999 - During this year, Health Care for the Homeless begins delivery of direct primary

healthcare services at a clinic co-located with Hope House.

2004 - Health Care for the Homeless leases space at 210 West Capitol Drive to open a

dually-certified outpatient behavioral health clinic.

2006 & 2007 – The organization opens an adult primary care clinic adjacent to the

Behavioral Health Clinic.

2008 - As Columbia St. Mary’s closes a clinic it was operating on the second floor of the

210 building, Healthcare for the Homeless moves to develop the resources and

infrastructure needed to expand its services beyond the homeless population.

2011 - Healthcare for Homeless becomes Outreach Community Health Centers, Inc.

offering a full range of primary and behavioral health services to all persons in need of

care, homeless and housed, insured and uninsured.