this article is an orphan as no other articles link to it . please introduce links to this page from related articles ; try the find link tool for suggestions . september 2015 wai anae coast comprehensive health center industry federally qualified health center fqhc founded 1972 headquarters wai anae us number of locations 1 main center and four satellite clinics area served wai anae to kapolei ewa beach to waipahu key people richard bettini ceo 1 stephen bradley md chief medical officer 1 scott padovan md er director 1 dan fujii dds dental director 2 services ambulatory health care facilities owner wai anae district comprehensive health and hospital board inc. 3 number of employees 540 1 website www.wcchc.com the wai anae coast comprehensive health center wcchc founded in 1972 is a community health center serving the healthcare needs of the wai anae coast on the west side of o ahu in the u.s. state of hawaii . when it was first established wcchc had just one doctor and five staff members . now celebrating its 40th year in business wcchc proudly employees 540 employees who span the main center in wai anae and four satellite clinics in surrounding areas including kapolei and waipahu . 1 while the health center has grown tremendously it has kept its founding vision at heart provide health care for people who need it . in 2010 alone wcchc served nearly 29 000 patients with 67 percent at or below the federal poverty level . the health center was developed by the community for the community whose relationship is of utmost importance and is demonstrated by the board of directors the majority of whom are from the community . besides the community partnerships have provided support to expand services construct new buildings and address improving health outcomes . in addition to its wide range of conventional primary medical and dental care the health center offers a broad array of programs . these include exercise fitness programs utilizing a gym and walking paths a farmers market in wai anae and kapolei a restaurant and native hawaiian healing services . the native hawaiian healing center was the first of its kind in the nation . wcchc also offers a 24 hour emergency room adult day care health career training mental health and substance abuse treatment nutrition counseling and transportation . 1 contents 1 clinics and services 1.1 main campus 1.2 other locations 2 history of the wcchc 2.1 before the health center 1946 1970 2.2 a difficult beginning 1972 1974 2.3 the health center is firmly established 1975 1984 2.4 a period of growth 1985 1993 2.5 adjusting to a changing healthcare environment 1994 1997 2.6 providing care into the new millennium 1998 2000 2.7 continuing history heritage 2001 2007 3 references clinics and services edit main campus edit harry and jeanette weinberg dental clinic in 1994 the weinberg foundation generously donated 800 000 towards the construction of the laboratory and dental building . the new facility greatly expanded the health center s capability to provide additional dental care to the community and additional workspace for laboratory services . harry and jeanette weinberg family building completed in july 2008 . houses pediatrics and women s health practices . malama ola the malama ola integrative medicine clinic offers primary care pain management lifestyle enhancement acupuncture chronic disease management sports medicine employee wellness and research activities . a fitness gym is also a part of the clinic . makai clinic offers primary care pediatric services . mauka clinic ohana clinic specialty clinic emergency medicine offers 24 hour emergency lab and x ray services . native hawaiian healing native hawaiian healing practitioners provide traditional healing services from this building . a kupuna council native hawaiian elders who are also native hawaiian traditional healers provides input on cultural and traditional services to be offered through the health center . wic women infant and children program w.i.c. women infants & children is a supplemental nutrition program which provides nourishing supplemental foods nutrition education breastfeeding promotion and health and social service referrals . participants of wic are either pregnant breastfeeding or postpartum women and infants and children under age five who meet income guidelines and have a medical or nutritional risk . behavioral health services behavioral health services for adults and children are provided by psychiatrists and psychologists and include psychiatric diagnostic or evaluative interview procedures insight oriented behavior modifying and or supportive psychotherapy and medication management . additional behavioral health services are integrated with the primary care clinics . adult day care adult day care service is available for adults 18 years and older in need of protection supervision and or socialization . services are provided in a home like setting and include exercise arts and crafts music games and meals . other locations edit waiola clinic offers primary care services . located in wai anae shopping center . james and abigail campbell clinic offers primary care services . located in n n kuli hi . kapolei health care center offers primary care services . located in kapolei hi . waipahu family health center offers primary care services . located in waipahu hi . wai anae health academy wha the waianae health academy was formed in 1992 as a partnership between leeward community college kap iolani community college and the wcchc . it began in response to a request from the wcchc board of directors that the center provide training opportunities for wai anae coast residents . since that time the wha has been providing health career certificate programs such as nurse aide medical assisting practical nursing community health worker phlebotomy dental assisting medical reception medical coding pharmacy technician occupational therapy assistant plant landscaping agricultural technology and pre health bridge courses . the waianae health academy also offers comprehensive haumana kokua student support services to assist people enter and succeed in the programs they choose . this support includes assistance in completing the application process applying for scholarships and financial aid and having access to an assigned education specialist who is available to help the student find resources which address other barriers to education . 4 substance abuse program pearl city hale adult day care hale kako o adult day care hale kako o is an adult care facility in lewa heights a neighborhood in honolulu for people with alzheimer s disease and dementia . it is the only adult day care in hawai i offering night care filling a need for such patients and providing respite for their caregivers . 5 accounting and purchasing human resources health patient accounting services hpas offers practice management services including claims and statement processing . history of the wcchc edit before the health center 1946 1970 edit 1946 healthcare on the wai anae coast was provided by the wai anae sugar mill dispensary . the population averaged 6 000 people . when wai anae s sugar mill closed leaving waianae coast residents without medical facilities . residents were forced to travel to honolulu to see a doctor ; the journey took 1 1 2 hours each way . only the very ill sought care . 6 1964 state statistics identified wai anae as having a poor health and disease profile and a high infant mortality rate . the state began delivering part time maternal and infant care from a small building in n n kuli . there were two part time mds practicing in wai anae . kaiser clinic opened in m ili for kaiser members . 6 1966 concerned residents formed a health task force htf to plan for better health services and more doctors on the coast to meet the needs of the growing population then estimated at 18 000 people . 6 1968 the federal department of housing and urban development designated wai anae and n n kuli for the model cities program . 6 1969 the state legislature guaranteed a salary of 25 000 per year to any doctor who would practice in wai anae act 299 . the htf was successful in bringing a doctor to the coast who practiced in the m ili ola clinic . the doctor left within the year . the htf with assistance from the university of hawai i school of medicine developed a program concept that identified the needs of the community a comprehensive health center home health care and a hospital . this document was the basis for acquiring model cities program aid . the htf incorporated into the wai anae district comprehensive health and hospital board inc. the board was intended to be the policy making body for the waianae coast comprehensive health center . 6 1970 a public election was held for the first board of directors of the wai anae district comprehensive health and hospital board inc. membership in the corporation was and continues to be open to all residents 18 years and older who have an interest in health . the model cities program provided 84 000 in seed money for the wai anae coast comprehensive health center project and the board hired a core planning staff in late 1970 . the planning objective was to secure land and obtain funds to build and operate the health center . the health center site was acquired through the hawaiian home lands and department of land and natural resources . funding to build the first phase of the health center was obtained through the model cities program . project directors were robert lawton and ray lilly . there were two more doctors practicing in wai anae still not enough for the growing population of some 24 000 people . 6 a difficult beginning 1972 1974 edit 1972 ground was broken to build the first phase of the health center . in october dr. paul barry the center s first employed doctor and a staff of five began delivery of services from a temporary location across from wai anae s mcdonald s restaurant . wai anae qualified as a medically underserved area under federal guidelines and operational funds were granted through the united states public health service phs . the health center s first administrator was david pali . 7 1973 in august phase i was completed and services were delivered from the health center s present location . the center had two physicians who worked 9 to 5 monday through friday . shortly after opening there was a period of turmoil when the phs stopped funding the center until it complied with certain conditions . the board included representation from the university of hawai i school of medicine and school of public health and the department of health . the center had 33 employees . administrators included clem hauanio acting gilbert bishop interim and ed kelleher . 7 1974 usphs funds were reinstated in february 1974 upon compliance by the center s board of directors . the center s new administrator was brian riordan . 7 the health center is firmly established 1975 1984 edit 1975 in january dr. frederick dodge was hired to be the center s first medical director . weekend emergency room services began supported by a state department of health subsidy . 8 1976 the outpatient clinic was built and family practice services to the community continued to increase . administrators were edgar molleta diane muri acting and john volanti . the center s radiology x ray department opened . 8 1977 1984 the health center enjoyed continued growth . the wic women infants children program was initiated . three portable buildings were added . more services and programs were added to serve a growing patient population . the center named dr. richard banner as its new medical director . two babies were delivered in the emergency room during hurricane iwa in 1982 while the center operated on emergency power . the back driveway was completed by military personnel as a firebreak after a fire threatened the safety of the center . staffing was increased to 160