Our History

The Oregon Primary Care Association (OPCA) was founded in 1984 by a group of safety net clinics and the Oregon Office of Health Policy. They sought to bring a community-centered, community-driven approach to health care. At the time, many communities in the state could not easily access or afford to receive care.

Our founding member clinics believed a statewide membership organization could facilitate the buildout of a patient-centered system, and that stable funding sources would be critical to expanding access to primary care services. OPCA became a trusted source for local health centers to find technical assistance, staff training, and guidance on reporting requirements for members to become federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) with access to federal funds.

As membership grew and evolved, OPCA identified new ways to support community health efforts. OPCA now facilitates peer network gatherings, develops training modules, coordinates site visits, builds learning collaboratives, and leads data-driven improvement projects. In addition, OPCA highlights the impact health centers have in their communities and advances policies which improve patients’ lives and the ability of health centers to serve them.

Today, OPCA’s members deliver integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health services to many of the state’s communities through more than 330 locations statewide. More than 500,000 Oregonians receive their care at a community health center, including one in six people on the Oregon Health Plan.

Throughout our 40+ years of service, OPCA remains committed to community-based health system transformations which lead to better population health.