The Isla Community Health Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). This means that ICHC receives federal funds under Section 330 of the Public Health Services Act to provide medical services in an medically underserved area or population.

FQHCs must meet stringent federal requirements, including providing services on a sliding fee scale based on ability to pay. FQHCs must also operate under a governing board that are at least 51% patients.

Board Composition

• The health center’s governing board must consist of at least 9 and no more than 25 members.
• The majority [at least 51%] of the health center board members must be patients served by the health center. These health center patient board members must, as a group, represent the individuals who are served by the health center in terms of demographic factors, such as race, ethnicity, and gender.
• Non-patient health center board members must be representative of the community served by the health center and must be selected for their expertise in relevant subject areas, such as community affairs, local government, finance and banking, legal affairs, trade unions, and other commercial and industrial concerns, or social service agencies within the community.
• Of the non-patient health center board members, no more than one-half may derive more than 10% of their annual income from the health care industry.
• A health center board member may not be an employee of the center, or spouse or child, parent, brother or sister by blood or marriage of such an employee.  The project director [Chief Executive Officer (CEO)] may be a non-voting, ex-officio member of the board.
• The health center bylaws or other internal governing rules must prescribe the process for selection and removal of all governing board members. This selection process must ensure that the governing board is representative of the health center patient population. The selection process in the bylaws or other rules is subject to approval by Human Resources and Services Administration.