Our organization’s origin began in 1970, when the residents of Orange Cove developed a committee to address their communities growing health concerns. At that time, the nearest county health department facility was the county hospital’s emergency room located in Fresno, fifty miles away.

Local health activists sought the assistance of the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission and incorporated the Orange Cove Family Health Center, Inc. on January 15, 1971. On October 17, 1971, the organization dedicated the first clinic at 445 11th Street in Orange Cove.

Concurrently, a group of concerned residents in the city of Parlier were also growing dissatisfied with their health care options. Fresno county health officials had opted not to receive Migrant Health Act funds thus local organizers petitioned for the funds to be administered by the city of Parlier, as an interim grantee. Soon the formation of the Parlier Family Health Center Inc. opened the door for direct DHEW funding.

On June 13, 1975, a merger was officially consummated with both organizations. The new name of the organization was Orange Cove-Parlier Family Health Centers, Inc.

In 1975, the Five Points Health clinic funded by State Rural Health and Maternal Child Health funds, approached the organization for assistance in application for Rural Health Initiative. In the process, the parent organization (CHEPA, Inc.) decided to merge with the corporation and on May 6, 1976, the Board adopted the new name of United Health Centers of the San Joaquin Valley, Inc. The new name truly represented its vast patient-catchments areas encompassing the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada in Orange Cove to the eastern slopes of the Costal Range in Five Points.

During 1977, the Centers had received a construction grant from the State Hill-Burton Program for two permanent facilities at Orange Cove and Parlier. The vacated buildings of Orange Cove and Parlier Health Centers were to be transported to Huron to serve as the Health Center. The Health Center was built in Huron where Fresno County Health Department had discontinued a Public Health Clinic at a labor camp. In April of 1978, the Huron Health Center was in operation. The Huron Health Center operated successfully for years utilizing the old modular buildings, but in 1985, a new Huron Health Center was built.

The Ten Communities Health Corporation developed internal difficulties. UHC was approached with the offer to assume ownership and management of the health center in Earlimart. In 1982, the Earlimart Health Center opened up the south end of the San Joaquin Valley, becoming the fourth UHC Health Center.

Residents of the west side community of Mendota, where the Fresno-Madera Medical Society had established years earlier a pilot program under the Regional Medical Programs requested assistance in obtaining health services. The center had been closed after Fresno County Health Department established the Firebaugh Community Health Centers. UHC obtained MUA designation and a construction loan, which allowed for the Mendota Family Health Center to open in November of 1993.

Responding to community inquiries after conducting a community assessment, the corporation negotiated a multi-year lease with cooperative agreements for remodeling and moved to establish health centers. In 1994, the Kerman Family Health Center was established.

In 1995, the Sanger Family Health was added as UHC’s last site. In August 2002, UHC relocated to a larger facility to accommodate the increase in patient enrollment.