Church Health Center

About me:

Dr. Scott Morris, a family practice physician and ordained United Methodist minister, founded the Church Health Center in 1987 to provide quality, affordable healthcare for working, uninsured people and their families. Thanks to a broad base of financial support from the faith community,individual donors and the volunteer help of doctors, nurses, dentists and others, the Church Health Center has grown to become the largest faith-based clinic of its type in the country. We have cared for 50,000 patients of record without relying on government funding. Our Clinic handles about 36,000 patient visits a year. Fees are charged on a sliding scale based on income. The average visit costs about $20. But healthcare is about more than just prescribing pills. We put a dollar into prevention for every dollar we use to treat patients because we believe we have a responsibility to take care of the bodies God has given us. Our Hope & Healing wellness ministry offers everything from personalized exercise plans and cooking classes to group exercise classes and activities for children and teens. Hope & Healing is open to the entire community with fees charged on a sliding scale based on family size and income. The Church Health Center won the 2003 Innovations in Prevention Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for its Hope & Healing wellness ministry. More than 100,000 member visits were recorded last year. Our Faith Community Ministries staff offers hope for a healthier life by reaching people where they worship. The Church Health Center provides the support, consultation and education to start or strengthen health ministries in congregations. Since 1988, more than 650 Congregational Health Promoters have been trained to be health leaders within their congregations. Faith Community Ministries also develops faith-health curriculum for congregations and collaborates with faith communities in other ways as well. The MEMPHIS Plan is the Church Health Center’s employer-sponsored healthcare plan for small business and the self-employed. By relying on donated services from volunteer doctors and area hospitals and laboratories, the MEMPHIS Plan offers uninsured people in lower-wage jobs access to quality, affordable healthcare. For more information, call (901) 272-7170 or visit www.churchhealthcenter.org.