Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) serve millions of low-income patients who face complex medical, behavioral, and social challenges.

Factors like housing instability, food insecurity, mental health, and chronic stress often overshadow clinical care, making traditional disease-focused approaches insufficient. FQHC leaders know that treating only immediate symptoms can leave important needs unaddressed. Whole-person care, an approach that considers a patient’s physical, mental, social, and environmental context, is emerging as a solution. By addressing all factors that affect health, this model aims to improve outcomes and health equity in underserved communities.

The goal of adopting whole-person care is to improve patient outcomes, access, and satisfaction while reducing costs.

For FQHCs, this means moving beyond siloed services to truly integrated, patient-centered care. This approach aligns with value-based care and the health center mission to meet people where they are. The aim is to empower clinicians and staff to coordinate treatments (medical, behavioral health, preventive care) and connect patients to community resources, so that care addresses the full set of a person’s needs.

Definition

Whole-person care is a holistic model that “involves looking at the whole person, not just separate organs or body systems, and considering multiple factors that promote either health or disease”. It focuses on restoring health, building resilience, and preventing illness across a lifespan.

Alignment with FQHCs

Health centers have long embodied this model. For more than 50 years, FQHCs have integrated medical, behavioral, dental, and enabling services to address patients’ social determinants of health beyond the exam room. Federally mandated “enabling services” (care coordinators, case management, transportation, etc.) already help FQHCs meet patient needs on the ground.

Benefits

Evidence shows whole-person models improve outcomes and satisfaction. Integrating behavioral health into primary care dramatically reduces depression symptoms. For example, one study found half of patients with depression saw major improvement when care was coordinated. Long-term data (e.g. the Framingham Heart Study) link better access to both physical and mental health services with lower rates of heart attack and stroke. In general, whole-person care programs “routinely report substantial benefits” in patient experience, clinical outcomes, and cost reduction.

Strategies

Key components of whole-person care include team-based care (primary care providers, mental health clinicians, pharmacists, care coordinators, community health workers, etc.) working together around the patient’s goals; systematic screening for social risks (71% of health centers now collect data on patients’ social needs); and strong community partnerships. For example, community health teams and patient navigators help patients access housing, food programs, transportation and other supports which have all been linked to improve health when coordinated with medical care.

Momentum

Public programs and research emphasize whole-person care. The NIH’s strategic plan and the VA’s Whole Health System are shifting toward holistic models. Payment reforms (e.g. Medicare behavioral health integration codes) and community health initiatives further encourage FQHCs to adopt these practices.

Whole-person care is not just a concept, but a proven model that aligns with FQHC missions.

By addressing mental health, housing, nutrition, and more alongside medical issues, health centers can achieve better outcomes and deeper patient trust. The evidence suggests that integrated, team-based care can ease chronic disease burdens and advance health equity. FQHC leaders who embrace whole-person strategies will find both hope and results: their communities’ health and well-being can improve while clinics become more efficient and value-driven.

In the full research article we will define whole-person care in detail, review the evidence of its benefits, and discuss practical strategies for FQHCs. Key topics include:

• The concept and components of whole-person care (biological, behavioral, social, environmental)
• Evidence from research and experience showing improved outcomes with this model
• Implementation approaches such as team-based care, social risk screening, and community partnerships
• Policy and funding factors that affect FQHCs (value-based programs, grants, etc.)
• Implications for FQHC leadership and operations, including challenges and solutions
• How Peregrine’s expertise and technology align with these goals.

At Peregrine Health, our interest in whole-person care stems from a genuine desire to understand what works best for the communities we serve. We believe that effective care must go beyond clinical diagnoses and address the full complexity of patients’ lives, from mental health to social determinants like housing and food security. By deeply studying this model, we aim to identify practical, evidence-based approaches that improve outcomes and reduce systemic barriers to health.

This learning journey is not just about improving our own capabilities; it’s about listening to health center leaders, patients, and providers to better understand how care can become more compassionate, coordinated, and impactful. We are committed to being active learners and thoughtful partners in this space, driven by the belief that knowledge can lead to action and, ultimately, better care for all.