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Our Story

Our Story

President & CEO

Dear Community,   

In response to a Community Needs Assessment and a fundamental shared belief that everyone deserves quality health care, regardless of health insurance status or income, Bob Johnson and I were hired in 2001 to establish a nonprofit, Federally Qualified Community Health Center (FQCHC) in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. On February 25, 2002, Community Health Connections (CHC) began providing services. 

Today we proudly operate five community health centers, including a dedicated Children’s Behavioral Health Center, located in the cities of Fitchburg, Leominster and Gardner. 

Our growth over the past 23 years has been a direct result of our unwavering commitment to our Mission: to provide high quality, affordable healthcare in our community, and to our Vision: to be the leading healthcare center here in North Central Massachusetts dedicated to eliminating barriers to care and building a healthier tomorrow for those we serve. 

In 2024, CHC served 45,121 patients across all sites, through 174,856 in-person and virtual care visits. Our team of over 500 employees ensures that everyone in our community, regardless of health insurance status or income, has access to the care they need and deserve. 

Thank you for your trust in us and support over the past twenty-three years. Together we are building a stronger, healthier community. 

Sincerely,

John A. DeMalia, President & Chief Executive Officer

What is a community health center? Watch this video to learn more.

Our service area is made up of cities, towns, and villages spanning Franklin, Worcester, and Middlesex Counties and include:

*Where CHC sites are located.
  • Acton
  • Ashburnham
  • Ashby
  • Athol
  • Ayer
  • Baldwinville
  • Barre
  • Boxborough
  • Clinton
  • Devens
  • East Templeton
  • Fitchburg*
  • Gardner*
  • Gilbertville/Hardwick
  • Groton
  • Harvard
  • Hubbardston
  • Lancaster
  • Leominster*
  • Littleton
  • Lunenburg
  • New Braintree
  • Orange
  • Pepperell
  • Phillipston
  • Princeton
  • Royalston
  • Rutland
  • Shirley
  • Sterling
  • South Lancaster
  • Templeton
  • Townsend
  • Westminster
  • West Townsend
  • Winchendon

CHC serves as a multi-site “one-stop shop” for health care by offering primary family medical care, urgent care (Leominster, Fitchburg and South Gardner sites), preventative and restorative dental care, oral surgery, behavioral health services, and substance use disorder treatment, as well as integrated specialty services including optometry, acupuncture, nutrition consultations,  podiatry,  infectious disease treatment services; a mobile dental program called Caring for Kids which provides dental services at local schools; and health services for Fitchburg State University. Additionally, CHC’s Outreach Teams, Community Health Workers, and Patient Services teams support patients and address barriers to care so patients can focus on their health.

Health Center Locations: 

Increasing our Capacity to Serve: Our History & Growth

Fitchburg 

  • CHC’s first location, located in Fitchburg, opened on February 25, 2002, offering primary medical care to the underserved and was in the old Burbank Hospital.  In 2014, CHC completed and moved into a state-of-the-art, LEED-certified facility next to the now closed Burbank Hospital. The Fitchburg Community Health Center is located at 326 Nichols Road.  
  • In 2008, CHC began to provide services to Fitchburg’s most vulnerable and unhoused individuals, via an Accessible Comprehensive Treatment in Our Neighborhoods (ACTION) mobile health unit. In 2017 the ACTION mobile health unit transitioned, and CHC opened a permanent health center on Water Street in downtown Fitchburg. Today, ACTION Community Health & Urgent Care Center offers comprehensive services including medical, urgent care, dental, behavioral health and substance use disorder services.  ACTION CHC also operates the “HUB” – a dedicated safe space where homeless and vulnerable individuals can receive health services and care.   
  • On March 5, 2024, Community Health Connections expanded our ACTION Community Health Center and added a Children’s Behavioral Health Center.   The new suite was designed for children and has 12 counseling rooms and three specialty therapeutic rooms. 

Today, we have two full-service health centers in Fitchburg, both providing a comprehensive array of healthcare services. 

History: Gardner 

CHC opened a primary care office in Gardner in the Medical Arts Building of Heywood Hospital in 2005. CHC quickly outgrew the space, and through the generosity of the City of Gardner, was able purchase and rehabilitate the Mary Kane Building at 175 Connors Street. CHC opened the Greater Gardner Community Health Center on February 25, 2006  

In 2022, to meet the growing needs of the City of Gardner and its surrounding towns, CHC began the process of building a brand new 20,000 square foot health center in South Gardner. The South Gardner Community Health & Urgent Care Center opened on June 23, 2023.   

Today, we have two full-service health centers in Gardner, both providing a comprehensive array of healthcare services. 

History: Leominster 

In 2003, CHC opened an outreach site at the Spanish American Center in the City of Leominster. CHC quickly outgrew the space and established the Leominster Community Health Center at 14 Manning Ave, providing medical, dental and behavioral health services.  

Due to the increased need for expanded services and space, CHC rehabilitated and moved to a new location on Mill Street. The Leominster Community Health & Urgent Care Center at 165 Mill Street opened on September 22, 2022 and provides Medical, Urgent Care, Dental, Behavioral Health, Substance Use Disorder Services, Podiatry, Optometry and an Optical Shop. 

 

Our Values

High Quality Care

We strive to provide the highest quality care to our patients.

Accessible Care

We help our patients overcome barriers to care.

Patient Satisfaction

We treat our patients with kindness, respect, and in a timely manner.

Team Work

We work together to make CHC a more efficient organization and improve overall performance. 

Staff Satisfaction & Engagement

We foster a positive work environment. We know that employees who enjoy their work and are engaged in our mission deliver excellent services.

Life/Work Balance

We encourage our employees to maintain a healthy balance between work, family, and other activities.

Building The Future

We create sustainable relationships with partners to help develop a skilled future healthcare workforce, provide educational opportunities for employees to grow, improve care and increase opportunities for our patients.

Fostering a Fair & Inclusive Workplace

We promote a workplace where all employees are treated with fairness and respect, fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and connected. This approach brings together different perspectives and experiences that contribute to enhancing our work culture.