Squirrel Hill Health Center

The Squirrel Hill Health Center (SHHC) is a well-established and vital community healthcare resource located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2006, it operates as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), a designation that underscores its commitment to providing comprehensive primary healthcare services to underserved populations. Mission and Vision: SHHC's core mission is to deliver patient-driven, high-quality, comprehensive, primary, and preventive healthcare and support services to everyone in the community, without regard for their insurance status, income level, or ability to pay. They strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment, demonstrating special sensitivity to patients' race, national origin, primary language, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability status. Their vision is to strengthen their leadership in helping Pittsburgh's diverse populations achieve optimal and affordable health and well-being, enhancing cultural competence and patient satisfaction while maintaining a strong financial base. Services Offered: The center provides a broad spectrum of services to meet the diverse needs of its patients, including: Primary Medical Care: This encompasses routine check-ups, preventive care, chronic disease management (e.g., diabetes, hypertension), women's health services (including prenatal and postnatal care), pediatric care, adult medicine, and geriatric care. Mental and Behavioral Health Services: SHHC offers psychiatric evaluations, individual and group therapy, couples and family counseling, and medication management. These services are integrated with primary care to ensure holistic patient well-being. Dental Care: Preventive, restorative, and emergency dental services are available at their Squirrel Hill location. Support Services: They provide on-site lab services, access to low-cost medications for uninsured patients, case management, and assistance with insurance enrollment. Culturally Sensitive Care: Recognizing Pittsburgh's diverse population, SHHC employs a multi-lingual staff fluent in various languages such as Nepali, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, French, and American Sign Language, and offers interpretation in over 150 languages. Special Programs: SHHC plays a significant role in the initial health screenings for newly arriving refugees in Pittsburgh and provides ongoing, integrated care for refugee and immigrant populations. They also offer house calls for homebound patients and have a clinician on call 24/7. Accessibility and Community Impact: A defining characteristic of SHHC is its commitment to accessibility. They operate on a sliding fee scale, ensuring that healthcare is affordable for those without insurance or with limited financial means. This model allows patients with household incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level to receive discounted services, with a minimum fee for those at or below 100% of the federal poverty level. Beyond direct patient care, SHHC has a profound impact on the community through outreach and partnerships with local organizations, schools, and businesses to address emerging health needs and social determinants of health, such as poverty, housing, and education. Established in 2006 (though some sources indicate early planning or establishment in 2001 by the Jewish Healthcare Foundation to fill a gap in community health services), SHHC has grown to serve thousands of patients annually across multiple sites, including their main location in Squirrel Hill and a second site in Brentwood, along with a mobile medical unit.