Asian Health Services
Community health center for underserved Asian populations.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
* | N/A | Grant | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Asian Health Services (AHS) is a non-profit community health center founded in 1974, emerging from student activism to address the healthcare needs of low-income, immigrant, and refugee Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities in Alameda County, California. It began as a one-room, volunteer-staffed clinic in Oakland's Chinatown and has since grown into a comprehensive, multi-site health system serving over 50,000 patients annually. The organization operates as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), a designation it received after demonstrating the significant health disparities and access barriers, such as language and culture, faced by the API community.
AHS provides a "whole patient health" approach that integrates medical, dental, and behavioral health services, delivering care in English and at least 14 Asian languages. Its services include primary care for all ages (pediatrics, internal medicine, geriatrics), specialty care in areas like cardiology and dermatology, comprehensive dental services, and mental health programs. Beyond clinical care, AHS runs numerous community programs focused on advocacy, health education, and social support. Key initiatives include the "Revive Chinatown" pedestrian safety campaign, the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative to protect workers from toxins, and a Community Healing Unit to support victims of hate crimes.
The organization's business model is based on its non-profit status, receiving funding from federal grants, program service revenue, and philanthropic donations. A significant portion of its patients live at or below the federal poverty level and are enrolled in Medi-Cal, Medicare, or are uninsured. AHS is governed by a board of directors and led by CEO Julia Liou and President Thu Quach. Throughout its history, AHS has been a prominent advocate for health equity, successfully protesting funding cuts and campaigning against policies that would restrict healthcare access for immigrants.