A university clinic that has spent a dozen years caring for West Palm Beach neighbors, insured or not, just got a major boost. The FAU/Northwest Community Health Alliance Community Health Center has won a $650,000 award from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration and is now a federally funded community health center. It was one of 158 centers chosen nationwide.

A neighborhood clinic that grew up

The center was founded in 2014 as a partnership between Florida Atlantic University and the Northwest Community Health Alliance, rooted in the historic Northwest neighborhood of West Palm Beach. It is closely tied to FAU's Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, and it serves children, adults and older adults regardless of their ability to pay.

Since 2021 it had operated as a so-called look-alike, meeting the standards of a federal community health center without receiving the federal funding that usually comes with it. This award closes that gap. The money comes from the federal New Access Points program, a $102 million national round that is funding 415 new care sites and expanding access for nearly one million people.

The national round was competitive. The New Access Points program is how the federal government opens new community health center sites in places that need them, and only 158 health centers across the country were selected this time. That a West Palm Beach clinic built by a university and a neighborhood alliance made the list is a vote of confidence in the model.

The numbers behind it

Demand has been climbing. The center logged 5,459 patient visits in 2025, including a single-month record of 542 visits last October. Those visits cover primary care and mental health care, immunizations, management of chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, physicals, vision and hearing screenings, telehealth and on-site lab testing.

FAU says the new funding will let the center expand services, reach more patients and give nursing students more hands-on experience caring for the community they train in.

What federal funding changes

For patients, the change is mostly about capacity. Federally funded community health centers are the backbone of care for uninsured and underinsured families across the country, and federal support gives a center steadier footing to hire staff, add hours and expand services than grants and donations alone. For a clinic that set a monthly visit record last year, that means more room to say yes to the next patient. It also strengthens the center's role as a training ground, so the nurses who learn here are more likely to stay and serve neighborhoods like Northwest and Westgate after they graduate.

Where to find it

The center operates from two West Palm Beach locations: the U.B. Kinsey Educational and Community Center in the Northwest neighborhood and the Westgate Community Health Center in Westgate. Walk-ins are welcome, and same-day or next-day appointments are often available.

Both sites are rooted in their neighborhoods. U.B. Kinsey is a longtime community anchor in Northwest, and the Westgate center serves the Westgate community just west of the city, so care is close to home for many of the families who use it.

Who should know about this

If you, a neighbor or an older relative has been putting off a checkup because of cost or insurance, this is the place to start. Physicals, vaccines, blood pressure and diabetes care, and mental health visits are all on the menu, and nobody is turned away for inability to pay. With flu season approaching, it is also a convenient stop for shots. Visit FAU's College of Nursing for current hours at each site, or simply walk in.