The Community Health Clinic of Butler County (CHCBC) is a nonprofit, 501 (c) (3) charitable organization. Our mission is to provide primary health care and basic dental services to our uninsured and income-eligible county residents ages 19 to 64.

Our patients lack access to the health care system for a host of reasons: they are working and earn too much to qualify for any government programs or have no health benefits and cannot afford private health insurance coverage.

Many of our patients suffer from long-standing chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, depression/anxiety, and arthritis.

For most of our patients, our local emergency facilities have been their only option for health care. Using emergency care does not address ongoing treatment, follow-up or necessary medications to assist in overall management of living with chronic illnesses.

By providing primary health care and basic dental services, we promote and champion wellness and therefore a healthier county community. This in turn allows many of our patients to continue working and generating family dollars.

The CHCBC opened for medical patients in January 2008 and now cares for more than 1,300 patients for more than 2,500 visits. New patients are added weekly.

CHCBC has a small but very dedicated staff who, along with a host of equally-talented and devoted professionals and community leaders, allows us to be a true safety net in our health care system.

Education is a critical component to each patient visit, i.e. diabetic education classes, proper flossing techniques, monitoring blood pressure, and taking medications as prescribed. This only reinforces wellness in which a whole community benefits from such efforts.

The CHCBC is a volunteer in medicine (VIM) clinic modeled after a VIM clinic in Hilton Head, S.C., that opened in 1991. That has served as a blueprint for more than 70 clinics nationwide and 7 in Pennsylvania.

Like all VIM clinics, the CHCBC has no state or federal affiliation. The clinic depends solely upon community gifts, grants and foundation support.

Please contact us if you are in need of health care or would like to volunteer at 724-841-0980 or visit our Web site at www.butlerhealthclinic.org.