A Story of Passion and Partnership
Our Roots
In Marin County, the shadows of poverty and homelessness loom large, affecting countless lives with stark realities. The Ritter Center stands as a beacon of hope and compassion in this landscape, passionately dedicated to alleviating the struggles of those most in need. Every day, our team witnesses the transformative power of care, commitment, and community support, working tirelessly to ensure that every person who walks through our doors finds a path to stability, health, and dignity.
Ritter Center’s roots date back to the early 1970s when the Marin County Welfare Department formed a committee to identify and support the needs of low-income families. This initiative evolved into Community Action Marin (CAM) in 1976. When federal funding for the “War on Poverty” dwindled, local congregations and community volunteers established the Human Concern Center of Marin in 1980, which later became Ritter Center. Over the decades, Ritter Center has expanded from offering basic safety net services to providing comprehensive healthcare, housing assistance, and social services.
Becoming a Federally Qualified Health Care for the Homeless Center
In 2013, Ritter Center became a Federally Qualified Health Care for the Homeless Center (FQHC). FQHCs are community-based healthcare providers funded by the HRSA Health Center Program to provide primary care services in underserved areas. This designation allows Ritter Center to offer services to all individuals, regardless of their ability to pay, and to receive enhanced reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid. Ritter Center remains the only Health Care for the Homeless designated clinic in Marin County serving the community’s most vulnerable populations.
In 2015, Ritter Center launched an intensive outpatient substance use treatment program at two emergency shelters operated by Homeward Bound of Marin. In 2017, in collaboration with St. Vincent de Paul and the Marin Housing Authority, Ritter Center launched the County of Marin’s Whole Person Care pilot program. The goal was to create an evidence-based and outcomes-focused coordinated system of care across health and social sectors to more efficiently and effectively serve Marin County’s most vulnerable Medi-Cal beneficiaries. Since 2017, Ritter Center along with county-wide partners have dramatically reduced chronic homelessness and housed over 850 individuals, 94% of whom have remained in stable housing. For updates on the homeless population in Marin County, click here.
In 2023, Ritter Center served 2,281 clients, offering a broad spectrum of services that address immediate needs and foster long-term stability and well-being.
Our Next Chapter
Ritter Center has grown from a small grass-roots, volunteer-led effort providing safety net services to a robust Federally Qualified Health Care for the Homeless Center with a dedicated and experienced staff and board of 60 providing critical healthcare, behavioral health and case management services to Marin County’s most vulnerable populations.
We have outgrown our home at 16 Ritter Street and have embarked on a transformative journey to renovate and relocate to a new state-of-the-art health center at 800 A Street in downtown San Rafael that will expand our services and increase our capacity.
We look forward to taking you along on our journey.
