Missouri - Missouri- Compass Health Network - PEDS

Compass Health Network was established in June 1992 as an innovative community effort to provide primary and preventive health care to the medically underserved. Initial partners included three major hospitals, the Columbia Area United Way, the Columbia/Boone County Health Department, the University School of Medicine, and the Missouri Department of Social Services.

Services were targeted to uninsured and underinsured Boone County families who did not have a health care provider. Instead of using emergency rooms for access to primary care services, Compass Health Network offered them a “medical home” with affordable, quality health care, close to home.

In 1995, Compass Health Network organized itself as a not-for-profit corporation with a local governing board. The board consists of 13 voting members and five consulting members. Compass Health Network patients comprise 51 percent of the board membership.

Compass Health Network received its Federally Qualified Health Center designation and its first Federal Grant in 1999. These grant funds are used to offset the cost of providing a sliding fee schedule for the underinsured and uninsured, low-income families served.

Today, Compass Health Network has locations in Columbia, Marceline and Salisbury that provide primary medical, mental health, and dental care services through board-certified physicians and nurse practitioners, licensed dentists, dental hygienists, clinical social workers and nurses. Compass Health Network also provides medications assistance services for uninsured persons, referral to specialty care, referral to other community resources, and language interpretation services.

This health center is a Health Center Program grantee under 42 U.S.C. 254b, and a deemed Public Health Service employee under 42 U.S.C. 233(g)-(n).This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number H80CS00573 Health Center Cluster for $3,491,279, 76% financed by nonfederal sources. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements by inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

This health center receives HHS funding and has Federal PHS deemed status with respect to certain health or health-related claims, including medical malpractice claims, for itself and its covered individuals.

NYU Langone Dental Medicine’s Advanced Education in Pediatric Dentistry residents get a wide range of practice experiences in a community based setting, ranging from comprehensive dental treatment using behavior management, in addition to pharmacologic management with the use of nitrous oxide.