History of Family Health Network
Brief History
- Established in 1972, Family Health Network (FHN) is a federally funded community health center providing medical and dental services to Cortland and contiguous counties.
- In its first full year of operation, out of a 3-room apartment in Marathon, 1800 patients were seen.
- In 1974 the Appalachian Regional Commission funded a demonstration project using physician’s assistants to deliver primary care to three small farming communities in Central New York (Cincinnatus, Marathon, DeRuyter). The original sponsor of this project was the Cortland County Health Department.
- In 1977 Rural Health Services Development Association, Inc. became incorporated as a not-for-profit agency.
- In 1979 the name of the agency was changed to Cortland County Rural Health Services, Inc.
- In 1989 the name of the agency was changed again to Family Health Network of Central New York, Inc., which remains today.
- FHN is the only source of care in three of the five communities served, and the only source of sliding adjustments for low-income individuals and families in the Cortland County region. Patients come to FHN centers from eight different counties, and occasionally from as far away as Pennsylvania.
- Our five medical sites are located in Cortland, Cincinnatus, DeRuyter/Cuyler, Marathon, and Moravia. Our dental site is located on Groton Avenue in Cortland. Our School Based Health Programs are located in Applebee Elementary School (Marathon), Marathon High School, DeRuyter Central School, and the Cincinnatus Central School. In addition to our four School Based Health Sites, we provide dental services to students attending those four schools as well as the Parker and Randall Schools in Cortland.
Our mission, revised and adopted by the Board of Directors in January of 2005 states: “Family Health Network will provide quality healthcare to the residents of underserved areas within Cortland and adjacent counties and support our employees while maintaining the financial viability of the organization.”