Special Populations: Federal Definitions for Health Centers

Many Health Center Program grantees receive federal funds to provide health care and social services for a special medically underserved population.

Under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act – the federal legislation creating the Health Center Program – some health centers receive funding to specifically target one of the following “special populations” (as defined by the 330 statute):

Section 330(g): Migrant and seasonal agricultural workers and their families
Section 330(h): People experiencing homelessness
Section 330(i): Residents of public housing
Section 330 (j): People with limited English proficiency

In addition, health centers provide comprehensive, culturally competent primary health care services to a wide range of vulnerable populations such as (but not limited to) school children, the elderly, pregnant women and infants, immigrants, minority populations, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and military veterans.