Community Health Center

In 1972, the idea that healthcare was a fundamental right, not a privilege, sparked a movement in Middletown, Connecticut. A group of community activists and Wesleyan University students, including a young organizer named Mark Masselli, decided to address the lack of affordable local healthcare. They started by incorporating the Community Health Center in May 1972, setting up their first clinic in a converted second-floor apartment. With donated dental equipment and volunteer dentists, they began offering free dental services. The early days were challenging. The fledgling clinic was staffed by volunteer dentists, as no local physicians would initially join. The operation grew thanks to the dedication of founding board members like Reba Moses, the daughter of a sharecropper, and Gerry Weitzman, a local pharmacy owner. After about six months, state inspectors shut down the clinic for having hallways that were one inch too narrow. This setback didn't stop them. The team persevered, and from that small apartment, the Community Health Center grew into a statewide organization with over 200 locations serving more than 145,000 patients. The organization's model is non-profit, receiving federal funding to support its mission of providing comprehensive primary care, including medical, dental, and behavioral health, to all, with a special commitment to the underserved. In 2023, the organization evolved, creating a parent entity called the Moses/Weitzman Health System to champion and strengthen primary care on a broader scale.