Health center program - the mission of the infant welfare society of chicago (IWS family health) is to provide a continuum of integrated, quality, and preventive healthcare services to children and…

The Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration awarded the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago $650,000 on August 1, 2026, under the Health Center Program (CFDA 93.224), a Project Grant to support primary healthcare services for medically underserved communities.

IWS Family Health provides integrated, patient-centered healthcare services—including pediatric care, prenatal care, and dental care—to children and families across 13 ZIP codes on Chicago's northwest and west sides and adjacent near-west suburban Cook County. The organization's service area encompasses more than 720,000 residents, nearly 35 percent of whom live below 200 percent of federal poverty level. The area is designated as a medically underserved area and health professional shortage area for primary care, mental health, and dental services. In 2020, IWS became designated as a Health Center Program Look-Alike to expand capacity and more effectively serve populations facing barriers to healthcare access, including foreign-born residents, non-English speakers, and those with limited educational attainment.

The award covers the period of performance from August 1, 2026, through July 31, 2027, with place of performance in Chicago, Illinois. The Health Center Program funds health centers under Section 330(e) of the Public Health Service Act to ensure continued access to comprehensive, high-quality primary healthcare services in medically underserved communities and populations.

Health center program - the mission of the infant welfare society of chicago (IWS family health) is to provide a continuum of integrated, quality, and preventive healthcare services to children and their families, enabling them to lead healthy and productive lives. In 1911, IWS family health established a series of "milk stations" which successfully reversed high rates of infant mortality in chicago's impoverished neighborhoods. These "milk stations" evolved into well-child clinics, and over time, IWS family health grew into a patient-centered healthcare home for children and families on chicago's west side. More than 720,000 individuals live in IWS family health's service area, which is made up of 13 ZIP codes on the northwest and west sides of chicago and adjacent near-west suburban cook county: 60618, 60624, 60625, 60634, 60639, 60641, 60644, 60647, 60651, 60707, 60160, 60164, and 60165. Many of these communities have high social vulnerability index scores, indicating high degrees of unmet need. Of all service area residents, nearly 249,519 (34%) are living below 200% of the federal poverty level, and 109,743 (15%) are living in poverty. More than 21% of residents are on medicaid and 11% are uninsured. The population is racially and ethnically diverse, with 43% of the population identifying as hispanic/latino, 19% as black/african american, and 5% as asian. Many service area populations face additional barriers to accessing healthcare, including the 23% of residents who are foreign-born, the 45% who speak a language other than english at home, and the 43% who have no more than a high school diploma or equivalent. Nearly the entire service area is designated as a medically underserved area (MUA) and/or medically underserved population (MUP), and as a health professional shortage area (hpsa) for primary care, mental health, and/or dental. To more effectively address these needs, IWS became designated as a health center program look-alike (LALCS40176) in 2020. As a LAL, IWS family health serves more than 12,000 low-income children and adults annually from a single 42,000 square-foot location on chicago's west side (3600 w fullerton AVE, chicago, IL 60647). Comprehensive CO-located services include pediatric and adult primary care; reproductive health services; prenatal care, including centeringpregnancy™; pediatric and family dentistry; child and adolescent counseling services; behavioral health integrated care; psychiatry; speech and occupational therapy; care coordination; nutrition and exercise programming; a food pantry; and an onsite pharmacy. In both 2023 and 2024, IWS was awarded the health center quality leader - gold badge for achieving overall clinical quality measure performance in the top 10% of all awardee and LAL health centers - one of just two lals nationwide to achieve this recognition two years in a row. A new access point (NAP) award will enable IWS to expand access to care by opening two new sites in its existing service area in addition to its main site located at 3600 w fullerton AVE in chicago's logan square community. The first new site will be located at 2644 n central AVE, chicago, IL 60639, in chicago's belmont cragin neighborhood, and will provide bilingual pediatric and family health services CO-located with onward neighborhood house and other mission-aligned community partners. The second site will be 1440 north avenue in melrose park, IL 60160, a hispanic/latino community with low health center program penetration and significant gaps in care. Through these three sites, in calendar year 2026, IWS anticipates providing 18,030 unduplicated low-income patients - 5,725 more than IT currently serves annually - with high-quality care through 66,287 total medical, dental, behavioral health, and enabling encounters. A NAP award will help ensure that IWS sustains its century-old commitment to advancing health equity by providing high-quality, integrated care for all.