Our History
Dr. Sarah Kemble had a vision; a vision of providing quality healthcare to children, adults, and families in rural Franklin County regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. In 1997, Dr. Kemble’s vision became a reality when the Community Health Center of Franklin County (a federally qualified community health center) opened its doors in Turners Fall and began providing medical care to all residents of Franklin County. Today, the health center provides comprehensive medical, dental and behavioral care services at multiple locations in Franklin County including one in downtown Greenfield and another in Orange.
We are a private nonprofit agency overseen by a community Board of Directors. At least 51% of our Board of Directors must be patients of the health center.
We have continued to grow over the years to better serve our patients. We offer the following services - medical, dental, behavioral health, office-based addition treatment, sexual and reproductive health services, diabetes education, community outreach, transportation, and more!
Who We Serve
The Community Health Center of Franklin County serves everyone. Our practitioners can provide care for everyone in your family, from babies to elders. Most of our patients live in Franklin County or the North Quabbin and we try to meet the needs of each patient by participating in numerous commercial insurance plans including Medicare, Commonwealth Care and MassHealth. We also offer a sliding fee scale program for people without insurance.
Our Community Values
Equity
Healthcare should be available to everyone who needs it, but people should contribute what they can. “From each according to her means; to each according to her needs.”
Transparency
We believe there is nothing to hide in an organization where everyone is a teammate/partner, and that all stakeholders have a right to access information about our operations.
Inclusiveness
We believe that every living being has an inherent right to be treated respectfully, no matter their politics, gender, skin color, gender identity, wealth or poverty, home or homelessness, or perceived intelligence.
Collaboration
We have an opportunity and obligation to take on the challenges of collaboration to treat all patients’ healthcare needs holistically. The spirit of collaboration is ingrained into the organization and manifests itself in the daily execution of patient-care.
Accountability
We believe that our staff and board members should do what we say we’re going to do and get it done when we said it would be done.
Equanimity
We believe in keeping calm and seeing what is really present and thinking before we speak.
Honesty
We believe in the need to tell the truth at the right time in the right words with respect for the feelings of others.
Compassion
We believe in having an open heart and mind to understand the struggles of others.