June 30, 2021

Expanding Primary and Specialty Care Services to Underserved Communities in Rhode Island

Providence Community Health Center (PCHC), the largest Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Rhode Island, received $6 million on June 26, 2021 in New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) from Primary Care Development Corporation (PCDC) for a new 26,600 square foot health facility. The new facility, which will be located in Providence on Atwood Street, is a much-needed expansion to accommodate patients from PCHC’s Olneyville location, currently over capacity. The Atwood Street facility will offer an express urgent care clinic, lab services, community outreach, and education services and is expected to serve over 14,000 new patients through 42,000 visits. PCDC’s NMTC investment supplements a $6 million construction loan made to PCHC in November 2020.

The city of Providence has 178,000 residents, of which 12.5% are uninsured and 26.9% live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL), compared to state averages of 5.5% and 11.6%, respectively. Nearly 95% of PCHC’s patients are people of color, over 97% live at or below 200% of the FPL, and nearly 66% are insured through Medicaid. Many residents suffer from chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and asthma.

“The New Markets Tax Credits provided by PCDC will allow us to provide vital health care to an underserved population in Rhode Island,” said Providence Community Health Centers CEO Merrill Thomas [pictured]. “With so many living below the federal poverty level, it is crucial that PCHC continue to provide health care and other services to our community.”

PCHC is the leading health care provider in Providence, serving over 67,100 patients, and offering an integrated approach to primary care that includes adult medicine, pediatrics, women’s health, urgent care, lab services, optometry, podiatry, dental, mental and behavioral health, and other specialty and supportive services. With this new addition, PCHC is expected to serve more than 81,000 patients when Atwood is open at full capacity.

“PCDC is proud to support this high-impact project that will expand critical health care services to those who need it most in Rhode Island,” said Anne Dyjak, Managing Director of Capital Investment.