As we reflect on the past year, we are proud to recognize the meaningful accomplishments made possible by the dedication, compassion, and teamwork of our staff. Together, we advanced our mission and strengthened the communities we serve through several major milestones:

– Affinia Healthcare achieved reaccreditation from The Joint Commission, reaffirming our commitment to the highest standards of quality, safety, and patient care, and remains the only Joint Commission–accredited community health center in the St. Louis region.

– Affinia Healthcare earned a 100 percent score on our recent operational site visit conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration, with no findings and no follow-up visits required, marking the strongest OSV outcome in the organization’s history.

– Affinia Healthcare earned NCQA recognition as a Patient-Centered Health Home after demonstrating compliance with all 40 core criteria and achieving well beyond the required 25 elective credits, with reviewers noting no questions or requests for additional information.

– Affinia Healthcare was recognized by the American Heart Association and American Medical Association for its commitment to improving blood pressure control rates, earning Silver Plus–level recognition through the Target: BP™ initiative for implementing evidence-based practices.

– Affinia Healthcare earned full accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education for its Family Medicine Residency Program, completing the final step in establishing the program and enabling recruitment of future physicians to serve communities facing declining healthcare access.

– Affinia Healthcare expanded women’s health services by offering additional pain management options for common in-office gynecological procedures, including IUD insertions, endometrial biopsies, and colposcopies, to enhance patient comfort and experience.

– Affinia Healthcare expanded mental healthcare offerings with the launch of a women’s grief support group designed to help patients process grief related to the loss of loved ones and other significant emotional stressors.

– Affinia Healthcare established a partnership with The Women’s Safe House to provide primary and preventive healthcare services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and stalking through the Health and DV Program.

– Affinia Healthcare was named one of 20 trailblazing organizations recognized at the What’s Right with the Region Awards, a Focus St. Louis program honoring organizations promoting community health and well-being.

– Affinia Healthcare hosted the National Association of Community Health Centers CEO Roundtable at the Ferguson Health Center on April 21, 2025, bringing together NACHC leadership, and regional health center CEOs for discussion, updates, and collaboration.

– Affinia Healthcare broke ground on a new urban garden located adjacent to the Program Office at 2524 Hadley Street in a designated food desert, with the goal of improving access to healthy foods and promoting nutrition education, and the garden will be named in honor of Mr. Richard Gram, the first CEO of Grace Hill Health Center.

– Affinia Healthcare hosted an Open House welcoming patients and community members to the recently renovated Lemp Health Center, showcasing new patient waiting and pharmacy areas, additional exam rooms, updated signage, and other facility enhancements.

– Affinia Healthcare completed environmentally sustainable improvements at the Biddle Health Center, including rain gardens, pervious concrete, and amended soil areas designed to reduce flooding, improve Mississippi River water quality, and create welcoming green space for the community.

– Affinia Healthcare provided direct support to community members impacted by the tornado through the distribution of essential supplies, including food, water, and hygiene kits.

– Affinia Healthcare established onsite assistance to help individuals, particularly older adults and those needing additional support, navigate and complete FEMA applications following the tornado.

– Affinia Healthcare expanded efforts to address food insecurity by responding to SNAP benefit delays through coordinated food distribution efforts, including the provision of groceries and hot meals to patients and community members in need.

– Affinia Healthcare received gold-level recognition through the MPCA Clinical Quality Award, recognizing excellence in clinical quality performance and outcomes.

– Affinia Healthcare achieved the “Breastfeeding Friendly WIC Clinic” designation by implementing evidence-based breastfeeding best practices that support women in choosing and continuing to breastfeed, further highlighting our role as the third largest WIC agency in the state of Missouri.

– Affinia Healthcare hosted press conferences with Congressman Wesley Bell and State Senator Steve Roberts to advocate for sustained Medicaid funding and highlight the importance of protecting access to care for the communities we serve.

– Affinia Healthcare continued to provide impactful mental health support through its men’s mental health group, with 66% of participants reporting improved mental health following participation.

– Affinia Healthcare continued to expand access to care and services across its health centers to better meet community needs.

These accomplishments reflect the heart of Affinia Healthcare—our team. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our patients, our communities, and each other. Happy New Year, and we look forward to another year of excellence and service together.