BERKS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER

Berks Community Health Center (BCHC) is a non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center that offers quality and affordable health care to all members of the community regardless of their ability to pay.

Berks Community Health Center Penn Street facility

BCHC opened its doors on June 4, 2012. Its mission is to improve access and the health of the community through the delivery of coordinated comprehensive services to individuals and families.

Services include primary care, support services, health and nutrition education, and outreach. In addition, BCHC provides OB/GYN, podiatry, optometry, and integrated behavorial health care.

BCHC serves the public at three locations in the city of Reading:

  • 838 Penn Street
  • 430 N. Second Street
  • 1040 Liggett Avenue

Berks Community Health Center foot careSince its opening in 2012, BCHC has continued to expand the list of services it provides. A noteworthy example of that growth is the novel initiative it launched to focus on diabetes management by incorporating specialty podiatry and optometry evaluation and care on site. Individuals suffering with the debilitating impact of diabetes now have access to related specialty care at a BCHC facility nearby.

BCHC is also collaborating with other area organizations to benefit the community. Its partnership with Alvernia University serves as an outstanding example of win-win cooperation. The college established a physical therapy room at BCHS’s Oakbrook center where students receive their supervised clinical training and offer free physical therapy services to BCHC patients.

Berks Community Health Care nutrition programAnother example of innovative programming accomplished through a community partnership came to fruition in 2015. A Healthy Eating room was established at the Oakbrook center as part of a multi-faceted effort to tackle the chronic diseases of diabetes and hypertension. The room, funded by a grant from the Wyomissing Foundation and equipped with a kitchen and demonstration area, is the perfect setting for one-on-one nutrition planning provided by BCHC’s dietitian.

Because BCHC is focused intently on the needs of the local community, it will continue to develop and provide coordinated services that directly benefit the health and wellness of Berks County residents.