The Chautauqua Center (TCC) emerged from a vision to address healthcare disparities in New York’s rural westernmost county, along the New York-Pennsylvania border. In 2010, the Health Foundation of Western and Central New York set out to assess the gaps in healthcare in a county lacking medical, transportation, and communication services and known to be one of the highest-need counties in the United States with no community health center. Together with other stakeholders, the foundation spearheaded the effort to establish a comprehensive healthcare facility.
By 2011, the Chautauqua County Health Network (CCHN), an organization dedicated to strengthening the local healthcare delivery system, assembled key partners within the county to move forward with the formation of a health center. Undeterred by initial setbacks, they established a community Board of Directors. HRSA funding was secured in 2012, and after a false start when the intended health center location fell through, a new location was identified in Dunkirk. The health center opened its doors to the community in January 2013 under the leadership of CEO Michael Pease and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tat-Sum Lee, who continue in their respective roles.
In 2015, just two years after its founding, TCC expanded to nearby Jamestown, broadening its reach within the county. Initially offering primary and preventive care services across the lifespan, TCC quickly expanded to include mental health and other services. Over the years, TCC has extended its services to meet the evolving needs of the community, adding chiropractic, care coordination, dental care, nutrition, podiatry, substance use disorder treatment and clinical specialty services along with transportation aid, medical translation and insurance enrollment assistance.
In 2018, TCC opened a state-of-the-art facility in Jamestown within the area’s emerging Health and Wellness district, and in 2021, introduced The Waterfront community pharmacy with extended hours and delivery services. That same year, the health center broke ground on a new, 37,500-square-foot location in Dunkirk to bring medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services under one roof. During the COVID-19 pandemic, TCC played a pivotal role in providing testing and vaccinations, an effort lauded by Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel.
The organization has continued to grow. In 2022, TCC incorporated physical and occupational therapy through a merger with a local multi-site practice. This partnership enhanced access to care for the area's vulnerable populations. TCC also acquired the well-established Tri-County Family Medicine practice in Gowanda in 2023, expanding its reach in the region, and in 2024 launched mobile care services for students at the State University of New York (SUNY) Jamestown Community College campus.
TCC's story is one of remarkable growth and community dedication. It exemplifies how resilient leadership can leverage resources and overcome challenges to significantly improve community health in a short time. Collaborations with local organizations and innovative outreach efforts such the VeggieRx program have further enhanced TCC’s impact, helping to establishing trust within Chautauqua County community by meeting the community’s physical, mental, and social health needs.
As it nears its twelfth year, TCC remains committed to each patient and to the overall health of the community as exemplified by this quote from its own website, “Although we care for each individual patient, we measure success by the improved health of the overall community.”
