History of NWRPCA

Northwest Regional Primary Care Association (NWRPCA) was established in 1983 to provide a wide range of services, including training, onsite technical assistance, community development and clinical coordination to a small number of health centers in the Northwest.

As the number of health centers grew within each state, it become clear that additional state-based entities were required to coordinate state-specific activities. Over a period of time, primary care associations (PCAs) were formed in each of the four states represented by NWRPCA – first Washington, then Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. These PCAs assumed responsibility for state-based advocacy, on-site technical assistance for health centers, and outreach campaigns to enroll uninsured individuals in public insurance programs.

Today, we collaborate with PCAs in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington to deliver a full spectrum of services to Northwest health centers and to advocate for the needs of the medically underserved at the national, regional and state levels.
In our twenty-eight year history, the number of Northwest health centers has grown from a few dozen in 1982 to more than 85 in 2010. By mid-2011, NWRPCA's membership had grown to 93, including 77 health centers, four individual members, and 12 associate members.

As our 25th Anniversary compendium shows, we are proud of the role we have played in helping health centers grow and thrive in the Northwest.