About the Henry J. Austin Health Center

Henry J. Austin Health Center, Inc. (HJAHC) is located in Trenton, New Jersey. Established in 1969 as Trenton's Neighborhood Health Center, HJAHC was incorporated in 1986 as a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) entity. The mission of Henry J. Austin Health Center is to provide quality, community-based, affordable, accessible primary health care services in a culturally sensitive manner with respect and dignity. Increasing access and decreasing barriers to quality care are the mainstays of HJAHC.

HJAHC is named after Dr. Henry J. Austin, an African-American, Princeton resident, who came to Trenton to practice medicine since Jim Crow laws prohibited this in his own home town. Austin was born on February 23, 1888 in Tallahassee, Florida and was brought to Princeton as a young boy. He attended Howard University Medical School and graduated in 1918 and completed his internship at Freeman’s Hospital (now Howard University Hospital) in Washington, D.C. Some historians credit Dr. Austin with helping to integrate Trenton schools..

Henry J. Austin Health Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). FQHC is a federal designation from the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that is assigned to private non-profit or public health care organizations that serve predominantly uninsured or medically underserved populations. FQHCs are located in or serving a federally designated Medically Underserved Area/Population (MUA or MUP). All FQHCs must operate under a consumer Board of Directors governance structure, and provide comprehensive primary health, oral and mental health/substance abuse services to persons in all stages of the life cycle. FQHCs provide their services to all persons regardless of ability to pay, and charge for services on a Board approved sliding-fee scale that is based on patients’ family income and size. FQHCs must comply with Section 330 program expectations/requirements and all applicable federal and state regulations. See section on “What is a Community Health Center”..

The United States Department of Health and Human Services selected HJAHC to be one of the first Federally-Qualified Health Centers in New Jersey to be reviewed by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Organizations (JCAHO) (now called The Joint Commission). Led by Henry Austin’s experienced administrative team, board of directors and dedicated health care providers, HJAHC achieved the highest level of accreditation. This accreditation was renewed in 2002 and in 2005.

HJAHC is the largest non-hospital based ambulatory care provider in the city. Primary health care services include: adult medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, HIV and Hepatitis C treatment, dental care, and podiatry; orthopedics, ophthalmology. Additional services are nutrition, social service, substance abuse assessment and intervention, behavioral health. translation services, transportation, and pharmacy. Most forms of health insurance including Medicare and Medicaid are accepted and there is a sliding fee scale for the uninsured. During 1007, Henry J. Austin Health Center provided care to 16,626 individuals generating over 72,000 visits.

Specialty programs include:

Pfizer Pharmaceuticals has helped people without prescription coverage for more than 20 years via its Share the Care Program... Pfizer has partnered with FQHC qualified community health centers such as Henry J. Austin for the past twelve (12) years. HJAHC is the first and only New Jersey community health center to participate. Eligible patients receive Pfizer medications to treat common chronic medical conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and depression. Pfizer has filled an important gap in healthcare.

The County of Mercer, Office on Aging funds Senior Outreach and Education program. The program provides health promotion and education workshops, mobile health screening, exercises classes, (using a certified curriculum), flu shot clinic, advocacy, referral and follow-up. The newest addition is access to legal advice. The program is staff by a nurse educator.

Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation has provided its fourth year of funding ($40,000) for those dental patients who are in need of services and are ineligible for any other assistance.

Henry J. Austin Health Center, Inc. was chosen by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as a recipient of a grant aimed at addressing childhood obesity in area residents. The SWEET Program (Successful Weight loss by Eating and Exercising Together) implements an innovative model combining quality health care with behavior modification outpatient therapy for both participants and their caregivers. HJAHC was one of six awardees. SWEET is now incorporated into the Trenton school system and will develop an initiative in each of one the four wards’ elementary schools.

HJAHC maintains three medical facilities in Trenton and one in Hamilton Township for easy access:

The newest site is Henry J. Austin at Hamilton Family Practice located at 1544 Kuser Road, Building C, (609) 585-9901. Watch for grand opening in November!