TURNERS FALLS — Amid an increased demand for primary care, the Community Health Center of Franklin County plans to open a Turners Falls location in December, with primary medical care available to anyone, regardless of insurance, income or identity.

The center bought the property at 8 Burnham St., which was previously owned by Baystate Franklin Medical Center, for $825,000 last summer. Before Baystate Franklin acquired it in January 2020, it was home to Connecticut River Internists. Given the property’s history as medical offices, only modest renovations are needed before the Community Health Center of Franklin County can open.

With another location at 8 Burnham St., the center is helping to address a lack of primary care options. Dr. Allison van der Velden, CEO of the Community Health Center of Franklin County, said new staff members have been hired and some existing staff will also be moved into the space upon opening. Van der Velden stressed that the health center is accepting patients now as the expansion continues.

Van der Velden, when interviewed in July 2023 about the purchase, said the organization had been looking for its next opportunity for growth, having quickly maximized use of its locations at 102 Main St. in Greenfield and 119 New Athol Road in Orange. Though van der Velden had originally hoped to open the new Turners Falls facility in early 2024, construction delays pushed back the opening date.

Van der Velden calls the concept of the community health center “the best-kept secret in medical care” for its unique structure.

“There are about 1,400 community health centers that are federally qualified health centers (FQHC) in the United States. We serve 32.5 million patients in the U.S., so that’s about 1 in 10 people across the country,” van der Velden explained.

A FQHC is a primary medical care center that receives federal funding and has a nonprofit structure to serve communities facing barriers to health care. According to the United States Health Resources and Services Administration, a FQHC can “provide equitable health care to people who are geographically isolated and economically or medically vulnerable. This includes programs that deliver health services to people with HIV, pregnant people, mothers and their families, those with low incomes, residents of rural areas, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and those otherwise unable to access high-quality health care.”

Van der Velden explained the Community Health Center of Franklin County started in 1997 after the community health center structure gained traction in the United States. Federal grant money is used to fund the health centers.

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“Some of the things that FQHCs do that is most impactful are growing in ways that are dictated by community needs,” van der Velden explained. “We engage in community health needs assessments and we really try to respond to the needs of the community in a way that other organizations can’t or don’t.”

As part of a community health needs assessment, certain material conditions within a region are reviewed that influence how care is managed at a community health center. Van der Velden observes that just accessing primary care is a community need, and people are often seeking it at urgent care centers or emergency rooms for non-emergencies, rather than with a primary care physician.

By taking into account situations like a lack of housing, insurance barriers, addiction and financial constraints, van der Velden said patient care can be better tailored.

“Of course, we can’t solve the housing crisis. We’re a medical center, but we do have resources to connect folks to systems and help them navigate systems that are already placed,” van der Velden said.

Medical and dental care are available through community health centers with an integrated-care system, meaning the primary care covers a variety of health needs. Mental health and telehealth services are also provided, according to the Community Health Center of Franklin County’s website.

Across Franklin County at the community health centers in Orange, Greenfield and Baystate Franklin, van der Velden said her organization employs roughly 135 people in administrative and health care roles, extending the community focus to employment as well.

“We’re really invested in high-quality jobs,” van der Velden said. “It’s related to our mission to be a respectful, high-quality employer, because our employees are part of the community also, and we know that economic stimulation helps make them healthy.”

A unique part of the community health center care model is that nobody who seeks care will be denied. According to the Community Health Center of Franklin County’s website, “Federal and state funding allows us to offer services thorough the Massachusetts Health Safety Net and a sliding-fee discount scale.” This discount scale, van der Velden elaborated, is based on the federal poverty level, so payment for services can be made more accessible to those seeking it.

“If you have medical care [access] issues and you just need care, come see us,” van der Velden said. “We’re available and you’re supporting a nonprofit health care institution when you come to us for care.”

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the planned opening date of the new Turners Falls location. The correct opening date is December 2024.