Delta Health Center

History:

Delta Health Center Incorporated is the nation's oldest rural community health center. First founded as a demonstration project by the Office of Economic Opportunity in 1965, the health center has been serving Delta residents for over 30 years. It is the only comprehensive health center in the service area to include Bolivar, Sunflower, and Washington Counties.

Delta Health Center initially provided a variety of services ranging from community health services to teach residents how to provide safe drinking water, cooperative farming efforts, promotion of balanced nutrition, and comprehensive health services. However, the center has evolved and currently provides comprehensive medical care, dental and home health services. In an effort to not lose sight of the other needs of the service area, the center compliments its services with social services, Women Infants and Children (WIC) Certification, Early Screening Periodic Diagnostic Treatment (EPDST), family planning services, Health Fairs, a Meharry Consortium Rural Interdisciplinary Training Project (MCRIT) sponsored by the Meharry Medical School Center of Aging, and a toll-free transportation system for clinic appointments.  We also provide immunizations,  a Perinatal High Risk Management Infant System (PHRM/ISS) and nutrition services by a Registered Nutritionist. All of these complimentary services are provided by outside funding except social services. While conditions in our service area are still not optimal, there have been great improvements in conditions that existed when Delta Health Center opened its doors.