# Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center

> Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center is a community-governed nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center serving West Oʻahu through primary and specialty medicine, a 24-hour emergency department, dental and vision care, behavioral health, pharmacy, school-based clinics, homeless outreach, transportation, nutrition programs, workforce training, and Native Hawaiian traditional healing. Founded in 1972 with one doctor and five staff members, it served more than 36,000 patients across seven service sites in 2024 and has become one of the Waiʻanae Coast's largest employers.

- **Founded:** 1972
- **Headquarters:** Waiʻanae, United States
- **Founders:** Agnes Kalanihoʻokaha Cope (Community organizer and co-founder), Chuck Wothke (Co-founder)
- **Team size:** 748 employees reported for fiscal 2025; the organization describes itself publicly as employing more than 700 people.
- **Products:** Primary and specialty care, 24-hour emergency care, Dental and vision care, Behavioral health and recovery, Traditional Native Hawaiian healing
- **Notable:** Established in 1972 and described as Hawaiʻi's oldest community health center., Served more than 36,000 patients through more than 198,000 visits at seven service sites in 2024., Operates one of only two U.S. community health center emergency departments with its stated Trauma Support Facility capability.

## Products & services

- **Primary and specialty care** — Adult medicine, family practice, pediatrics, women's health and a broad roster of specialty services delivered through the main campus, satellite clinics and school-based sites.
- **24-hour emergency care** — A state-recognized Trauma Support Facility with 16 exam rooms plus around-the-clock emergency laboratory and imaging support; the department reports roughly 24,000 visits a year.
- **Dental and vision care** — Safety-net dental services for all ages, school-based prevention and mobile outreach, plus optometry and vision services.
- **Behavioral health and recovery** — Behavioral health, psychiatry, substance-use disorder treatment, pain management and related recovery support.
- **Traditional Native Hawaiian healing** — Culturally grounded services including lomilomi, lāʻau lapaʻau, lāʻau kāhea and hoʻoponopono, overseen with guidance from a council of kūpuna practitioners.
- **Community and enabling services** — Homeless outreach, care coordination, transportation, WIC, insurance assistance, nutrition, farmers markets, fitness, food access and social services.
- **Health career education** — Clinical training, scholarships and university partnerships designed to develop a locally rooted health workforce.
- **Epic and MyChart** — OCHIN Epic electronic health records and the MyChart patient portal for connected records, messaging and care coordination.

## Achievements

- Established in 1972 and described as Hawaiʻi's oldest community health center.
- Served more than 36,000 patients through more than 198,000 visits at seven service sites in 2024.
- Operates one of only two U.S. community health center emergency departments with its stated Trauma Support Facility capability.
- Received NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition for four primary-care locations.
- Built a traditional Native Hawaiian healing program guided by a council of kūpuna practitioners.
- Selected as an NIH All of Us community health center partner and received a 2023 NIH ComPASS award.
- Maintains a Waiʻanae-based UH Hilo nursing cohort to expand access to BSN education.
- Recognized with the 2019-2020 Laura Scott Immunization Excellence Award.
- Transitioned the health network to OCHIN Epic and MyChart in July 2026.

## Latest updates

- **2026-07** — WCCHC launched OCHIN Epic and MyChart across the organization to improve access to records, communication and care coordination.
- **2026-03** — A federal Teaching Health Center award period began for the Na ʻOhana O Ka Hale Ola Family Medicine Residency Program, designed to train three residents per year and grow to nine residents by year three.
- **2025-08** — U.S. Senator Brian Schatz visited WCCHC as the organization prepared for the effects of federal Medicaid and safety-net funding changes.
- **2025-07** — WCCHC said it was planning patient assistance in response to federal policy changes affecting Medicaid; leadership reported serving about 21,000 Medicaid patients annually.
- **2024-11** — The organization marked its 30th annual Day of Caring and continued community vaccination, transportation and nutrition programs.

## Links

- Website: https://www.wcchc.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wcchc
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/wcchchi
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/WaianaeComp/videos
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waianaecomp/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waianaecomp/

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Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-13