Who We Are

South Carolina Primary Health Care Association

The South Carolina Primary Health Care Association (SCPHCA) is the unifying organization for Community Health Centers (CHCs) in South Carolina. CHCs are time-tested models of community-based care. They represent public and private partnerships working together to improve the health status of their respective communities.

Our South Carolina FQHCs

  • Affinity Health Center
  • Beaufort-Jasper-Hampton Comprehensive Health Services, Inc.
  • CareSouth Carolina, Inc.
  • Careteam Plus (FQHC Look-a-Like)
  • Carolina Health Centers, Inc.
  • Community Medicine Foundation, Inc. (d/b/a North Central Family Medical Center)
  • Cooperative Health
  • Family Health Centers, Inc.
  • Fetter Health Care Network, Inc.
  • Foothills Community Health Care, Inc.
  • Genesis Healthcare, Inc.
  • Health Care Partners of SC, Inc.
  • HopeHealth, Inc.
  • Little River Medical Center, Inc.
  • Low Country Health Care System, Inc.
  • New Horizon Family Health Services, Inc.
  • Plexus Health
  • ReGenesis Health Care, Inc.
  • Rosa Clark Medical Clinic
  • Rural Health Services, Inc.
  • Sandhill Medical Foundation, Inc.
  • SC Agricultural Worker Health Program
  • St. James Health and Wellness, Inc.
  • Tandem Health SC, Inc.
  • Unity on Main (FQHC Look-a-Like) 

Our Mission

The mission of the South Carolina Primary Health Care Association (SCPHCA) is to provide a unified supportive infrastructure that facilitates access to community-based primary, behavioral and other health care services to every community in South Carolina.

Our Vision

Access to Quality Health Care for All of South Carolina

Our History

1979

May 3, 1979

Initial meeting of the South Carolina Primary Health Care Association (SCPHCA) was held as two board members and three at-large members were elected. In addition, the Board adopted by-laws.

1979

August 3, 1979

The SCPHCA was incorporated.

1980

Three consumer representatives and one provider were elected to the board. Committees were formed, and goals were set for 1980-1988. 

1982

The SCPHCA applied to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) for charter membership. 

1985-1986

Executive Director Edward Thomas Lucas, Jr. and staff were hired by the SCPHCA.  An office was established at State Park, SC in a space donated by SCDHEC. The SCPHCA's grant application for Year 1 was approved for $120,000. The SCPHCA signed a cooperative agreement with SCDHEC.

1987

$200,000 in State appropriations for development of CHCs was included in the SCDHEC budget for FY 1988. Lathran J. Woodard was hired as Associate Director.

1988

SC CHC Director Roland Gardner was installed as President of NACHC.

1989

SC General Assembly approved a $500,000 appropriation for recruitment and retention of physicians to practice in rural areas of the state.

1991

SC General Assembly appropriated $739,946 for physicians to practice in rural areas.  More than 20 CHC clinicians benefited from the program.  Lathran J. Woodard was named the Executive Director of SCPHCA.   

1994-1995

The SCPHCA's budget increased by 140 percent over the previous year's funding. The SCPHCA received a grant from the National Health Service Corps to implement the SEARCH program.  

1998

SC CHC Director Carolyn Emanuel-McClain was installed as President of NACHC.

2004

The SCPHCA became the grantee for the SC State Migrant Program and entered a partnership with the Small Business Chamber.

2017

The SCPHCA became the grantee for the SC Health Center Controlled Network.

2024

Lathran Woodard retires, and Dr. Vicki Young becomes new CEO.