Our History
Primary Health Care Services of Northwestern PA was incorporated on January 25, 1985, as a small medical and dental clinic within the Booker T. Washington Center in Erie, Pennsylvania.
The Incorporators were Rev. Ernest Denny, Executive Director, Booker T. Washington Center, Mr. Bobby Harrison, Executive Director, John F. Kennedy Center, Mr. Alex Thompson, Executive Director, Martin Luther King Center, Sr. Margaret Ann Hardner, Saint Vincent Health Center, and Dana Lundquist, Hamot Medical Center.
On July 1, 1985, the organization was certified as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) under section 330 of the Public Health Services Act. Federally Qualified Health Centers are community-based healthcare providers that receive funds from the HRSA Health Center Program to provide primary care services in underserved areas. They must meet a stringent set of requirements, including providing care on a sliding fee scale based on ability to pay and operating under a governing board that includes patients.
In 1994, the organization began collaborations with Saint Vincent Health Center, Hamot Medical Center, Metro Health Center, the Martin Luther King Center, the John F. Kennedy Center, and the Hispanic American Council to restructure the community’s medical clinic centers under one umbrella.
In 1995, the organization’s name was changed to Community Health Net (CHN). The medical offices at the Martin Luther King Center and the John F. Kennedy Center merged with CHN.
In 1996, new satellite offices were opened at the Hispanic American Council, Metro Health Center, Hamot Medical Center, and Saint Vincent Health Center. CHN also purchased a building located in downtown Erie. The building would house the administration and medical offices on the second floor and medical offices on the first floor.
From 1997 through 2001, Community Health Net added Obstetric and Gynecology services at Highpoint Towers, collaborated with Gannon University and The City of Erie Housing Authority in the Franklin Terrance Gannon Nursing Center, and opened rural health clinics located in Townville, Tionesta, and Tidioute, Pennsylvania.
In July 2004, Community Health Net consolidated its medical practice to 1202 State Street and the Dental practice to the Booker T. Washington Center located at 1720 Holland Street.
On September 29, 2005, the medical office located at 1202 State Street was renamed the “Daniel S. Snow, MD Health Center” to recognize the 20th Anniversary of the organization.
In a continuing effort to expand access to healthcare, CHN collaborated with Stairways Behavioral Health and opened a new dental office on the Stairways Campus located at 2922 State Street in 2007. To help meet the growing dental needs of N.W. Pennsylvania, CHN also opened a new dental site, the John Horan Garden Dental Office at 2010 E. 10th St.
In January of 2015, Community Health Net opened the Dr. Nicholas Hosu Dental Suite at the Daniel S. Snow, M.D. Health Center, bringing seven-day-a-week medical and dental services together at 1202 State St.