About TPCA

About TPCA

TPCA emerged as a a part of the national community health center movement initiated in the 1960s during President Lyndon Johnson's "War on Poverty." Established in 1976, the Association's inception was prompted by a legislative issue concerning prescribing rights, which surfaced between rural health centers, predominantly staffed by nurse practitioners or physician assistants, and the Board of Pharmacy. This pivotal event highlighted the imperative for health centers to unite under a single, statewide organization advocating for enhanced access to care within underserved communities.

Today, TPCA proudly serves as the collective voice of our state's community health centers. We represent 29 of Tennessee’s community health centers and empower members with shared resources, amplify their interests at the state and federal levels, and foster a collaborative environment.

At TPCA, we’re not just a membership association, we're a strategic partner in ensuring all Tennesseans have access to quality, patient-centric comprehensive health care. Our initiatives aim to:

• Enhance access to care by ensuring community health centers have the resources to provide integrated comprehensive services.
• Support the community health center workforce through the development of recruitment and retention strategies.
• Ensure community health center operational and financial sustainability.
• Elevate the patient and provider experience through health IT advancements, interoperability, and data utilization to optimize care coordination.
• Promote value-based care delivery at community health centers

View our 2024 Initiatives

About the Center for Quality in Community Health (CQCH)

TPCA’s CQCH is a network that seeks to improve patient care and advance health center clinical, operational, and financial quality by leveraging data and technology-based interventions.

The CQCH is funded through the Health Center Controlled Network (HCCN) grant through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA). HCCNs are networks of health centers working together to leverage health information technology to improve access to care, enhance quality of care, and achieve cost efficiencies through the redesign of practices to integrate services and optimize patient outcomes.

Using timely, relevant data, the CQCH promotes collaboration, sustainability, cost effectiveness, and healthier communities in Tennessee.