FQHC salary?

[deleted106747]

A friend of mine is applying to a leadership position at at FAQC PCMH. She thought that because I worked in the VA I might be able to tell her something about salary. I can’t. But does anyone here know anything about that? Are they on the GS scale? Do they tend to pay decently or are they more like CMH? Thanks for any info.

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[deleted343839]

FQHC are community-based organizations. They aren't owned and operated by the federal government unlike VA, DOD, federal prisons, etc. Rather, they receive grant funding to support their work. So the federal pay scale doesn't apply to them.

One possible advantage of working for an FQHC is the potential for service-based loan forgiveness, but it's not automatic, and both the candidate and the work site itself have to be approved.

 

[erg923]

A friend of mine is applying to a leadership position at at FAQC PCMH. She thought that because I worked in the VA I might be able to tell her something about salary. I can’t. But does anyone here know anything about that? Are they on the GS scale? Do they tend to pay decently or are they more like CMH? Thanks for any info.

My impression of FQHCs is that they are community health/community mental health centers (nothing federal about them) in some of he poorest and most rural parts of the country. Salaries are likely significantly depressed for doctoral level providers.

 

[futureapppsy2]

FQHC are community-based organizations. They aren't owned and operated by the federal government unlike VA, DOD, federal prisons, etc. Rather, they receive grant funding to support their work. So the federal pay scale doesn't apply to them.

One possible advantage of working for an FQHC is the potential for service-based loan forgiveness, but it's not automatic, and both the candidate and the work site itself have to be approved.

My impression is similar—that they tend to pay less but often recruit people with loan forgiveness incentives. They often tend to have very challenging, complex patient populations and often not a lot of support in terms of colleagues or resources.

 

[deleted343839]

My impression is similar—that they tend to pay less but often recruit people with loan forgiveness incentives. They often tend to have very challenging, complex patient populations and often not a lot of support in terms of colleagues or resources.

It's a mixed bag. Some are well regarded for their leadership in primary care mental health integration (Cherokee Health System comes to mind), whereas others are middling at best. Like any job, it's best to do your homework and ask others in the field about an organization's reputation.

 

[futureapppsy2]

I believe @smalltownpsych worked for an FQHC, IIRC?

 

[deleted106747]

Thanks for the responses, everyone. I passed along the info. I haven't had much experience in that area and only did a prac in a CMH so it's pretty unfamiliar.