TrueCare
TrueCare is a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center operating 27 clinics across North San Diego and Riverside counties, serving nearly 70,000 low-income, uninsured, and underinsured patients annually through primary, specialty, behavioral, dental, and maternal health services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersSan Marcos, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What TrueCare does
TrueCare, legally North County Health Project, Inc., is a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) founded in 1971 and headquartered in San Marcos, California. The organization operates 27 health centers and WIC locations across North San Diego and Riverside counties, serving nearly 70,000 patients annually, primarily low-income, uninsured, and underinsured populations. Service lines include primary care, QuickCare walk-in urgent care, behavioral health (including the standalone Richmar Behavioral Health center opened in 2025), pediatric care, women's health, dental, mobile wellness, Street Medicine for individuals experiencing homelessness, telehealth/virtual visits, acupuncture, chiropractic, cardiology, podiatry, HIV/AIDS case management, on-site pharmacy, lab and X-ray, transportation assistance, health insurance enrollment, and WIC nutrition programs.
The underlying technology stack centers on the OCHIN Epic-based electronic health record and MyChart patient portal, which supports appointment management, provider messaging, prescription refills, and mobile access on iOS and Android. Clinical operations are complemented by conventional telehealth video and phone infrastructure; no proprietary AI/ML capabilities, patents, or in-house models are disclosed. TrueCare participates in OCHIN's organized healthcare arrangements, enabling health information exchange with other member health centers for care coordination purposes.
TrueCare's business model is the standard FQHC reimbursement model, combining patient services revenue billed to Medi-Cal, Medicare, and commercial insurance with a sliding-scale fee schedule based on income and family size. Revenue is supplemented by federal grants (notably a $2 million HHS grant in 2023 for the doula program, making TrueCare the only Southern California recipient) and philanthropic donations. Leadership comprises President and CEO Michelle D. González (promoted from within since 2003), CFO Cheryl Petersen (San Diego Business Journal 2025 CFO of the Year for nonprofits), and Marie Russell, MD, serving as Medical Director and Chief Operations Officer. The organization is governed as an independent nonprofit with no parent company or external institutional ownership.
TrueCare firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TrueCare
- Legal name
- North County Health Project, Inc.
- Website
- https://truecare.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- TrueCare is a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center operating 27 clinics across North San Diego and Riverside counties, serving nearly 70,000 low-income, uninsured, and underinsured patients annually through primary, specialty, behavioral, dental, and maternal health services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TrueCare industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Health Services
- NAICS
- Ambulatory Health Care Services (621), All Other Outpatient Care Centers (621498)
- SIC
- Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Independent Primary Care Practices (HLAFAGAA)
Keywords
Where TrueCare is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Marcos
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices9 records
Markets served
TrueCare business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Patient Services Revenue: Revenue from providing healthcare services to patients, billed to patients directly, insurance companies including Medi-Cal, Medicare, and commercial insurance plans. FQHC reimbursement model.
- Government Grants: Federal grants from agencies such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to fund specific programs like the doula program for maternal health.
- Donations and Philanthropy: Voluntary donations from individuals and organizations to support TrueCare's mission of providing healthcare to underserved communities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | Monthly | Sliding scale based on income and family size |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
TrueCare product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TrueCare is a Federally Qualified Health Center that delivers comprehensive primary, preventive, urgent, specialty, behavioral, dental, women's health, pediatric, and pharmacy services to patients across 27 health center locations in Southern California. Services are complemented by telehealth, mobile wellness, street medicine, and support programs such as WIC, transportation assistance, and insurance enrollment. Care is provided regardless of ability to pay using a sliding-scale fee schedule.
Product overview
TrueCare is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) offering a comprehensive, integrated healthcare platform serving California's San Diego and Riverside counties through 27 health center locations. The core platform provides primary care and preventive services, supported by a network of specialty services including behavioral health, dental, women's health, and pediatric care. TrueCare's portfolio includes urgent care alternatives (QuickCare), telehealth (Virtual Health), mobile healthcare delivery (Mobile Wellness, Street Medicine), and specialty programs like Doula Services funded by a $2 million HHS grant. Additional support services include on-site pharmacies, diagnostic labs, transportation, insurance enrollment assistance, and WIC programs. The organization serves nearly 70,000 patients annually, with a focus on low-income, uninsured, and underserved populations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Primary Care Comprehensive primary care services providing preventive care, diagnosis, and treatment for patients of all ages, delivered through TrueCare's network of health centers.
- QuickCare Same-day appointment and walk-in clinic offering an urgent care alternative for minor injuries and illnesses at multiple locations including Oceanside, Rancho Santa Fe, San Marcos, and Vista Way.
- Behavioral Health
- Pediatric Care Pediatric services for children from birth through adolescence up to age 21, focusing on developmental milestones, wellness checkups, and preventive care.
- Women's Health Women's health services including prenatal care, obstetrics, family planning, gynecological exams, mammograms, and postpartum support at dedicated women's health campuses.
- Dental Care Dental services including preventive, restorative, and maintenance care for patients of all ages at dedicated dental locations.
- Virtual Health (Telehealth) Telemedicine services providing video or phone consultations with providers for diagnosis and treatment of minor conditions.
- Acupuncture Natural, proven treatment for pain relief using ultra-thin sterile needles at meridian points, covered by most insurance plans including Medi-Cal and select Medicare supplemental and commercial plans.
- Chiropractic Care Non-invasive, drug-free spinal adjustments and treatments to relieve pain, restore health, and improve mobility, available at Vista Way and San Marcos locations.
- Cardiology Specialized cardiac care including diagnosis, treatment, heart disease prevention, hypertension management, cardiac rehabilitation, and arrhythmia treatment.
- Pharmacy On-site pharmacy services at San Marcos and Oceanside locations, dispensing generic medications and providing medication counseling.
- Lab and X-Ray Diagnostic laboratory testing and imaging services for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.
- Mobile Wellness Mobile health services bringing care directly to communities through a mobile health unit.
- Street Medicine Healthcare services provided directly to individuals experiencing homelessness, bringing compassionate and personalized care to where they are.
- Doula Services Low-cost or free doula services for prenatal, childbirth, and postpartum support, funded by a $2 million HHS grant to reduce maternal mortality and disparities among women of color.
- WIC (Women, Infants and Children) Nutrition assistance program for pregnant women, new mothers, and children under 5, providing food vouchers and nutritional support at multiple locations.
- HIV/AIDS Case Management Case management services for individuals living with HIV/AIDS, providing comprehensive support and care coordination.
- Older Adult Health Services Specialized healthcare services designed for seniors, addressing age-related health concerns and chronic disease management.
- Transportation Services Transportation assistance to help patients get to their medical appointments at TrueCare facilities.
- Health Insurance Enrollment Assistance Enrollment assistance helping uninsured and underinsured patients sign up for health insurance coverage.
- Podiatry Podiatric care focused on foot and ankle health, available as part of TrueCare's specialty service line.
- Lifestyle Medicine Lifestyle medicine services supporting preventive health and chronic disease management through lifestyle-based interventions.
- MyChart Patient Portal Secure patient portal allowing patients to manage appointments, communicate with providers, view visit summaries, request prescription refills, and access health records, available via web and mobile apps (iOS and Android).
Quantifiable outcome
- Doula services reduce cesarean rates by 50%, reduce epidural requests by 60%, and improve APGAR scores for babies
Companies that use TrueCare
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
TrueCare technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
TrueCare partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Blue ZonescorePartnership in Blue Zones Ignite initiative with the City of San Marcos to conduct a citywide assessment and develop a well-being transformation plan. Blue Zones will assess the city's readiness and create a policy-focused plan aimed at reducing obesity and smoking rates, lowering healthcare costs, and boosting economic vitality.
- Gary and Mary West PACEcorePartnership in Blue Zones Ignite initiative with City of San Marcos, Blue Zones, and TrueCare to improve well-being of San Marcos residents through a comprehensive citywide assessment and health transformation plan.
- City of San MarcoscoreCity government partnership leading the Blue Zones Ignite initiative, a well-being program aimed at helping residents live healthier, longer lives through policy-focused transformation.
- OCHINcoreTrueCare participates in OCHIN organized healthcare arrangements as a member health center. OCHIN provides information technology and related services, coordinates clinical review activities, establishes best practice standards, and helps improve management of patient referrals. TrueCare's PHI may be shared with other OCHIN Member Health Centers for healthcare operations purposes.
- U.S. Senator Adam SchiffminorFederal legislator who visited TrueCare for a press conference to emphasize the importance of Affordable Care Act premium tax credits for maintaining healthcare affordability and stability in California.
- U.S. Congressman Mike LevinminorFederal legislator who visited TrueCare for a press conference with Senator Schiff to discuss healthcare policy and the importance of maintaining affordable healthcare coverage.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
TrueCare competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Family Health Centers of San Diego: Largest FQHC in San Diego County operating dozens of clinic sites across the same service area as TrueCare, offering an overlapping comprehensive primary care, behavioral health, dental, and specialty services portfolio to similar underserved Medi-Cal populations.
- San Ysidro Health: Federally Qualified Health Center serving San Diego County's southern communities with primary care, pediatrics, women's health, behavioral health, and dental services — directly comparable in mission, funding model, and patient demographic to TrueCare.
- Neighborhood Healthcare: Multi-site FQHC operating across San Diego and Riverside counties (overlapping TrueCare's footprint) with primary care, behavioral health, dental, and women's health services targeting underserved communities.
- Vista Community Clinic: FQHC based in Vista, CA serving North San Diego County with primary care, dental, behavioral health, and WIC services — operating in the same geographic catchment and patient demographic as TrueCare.
- La Maestra Community Health Centers: San Diego-based FQHC providing primary care, dental, behavioral health, and social services to low-income, largely immigrant populations — overlapping TrueCare's mission and Medi-Cal patient base.
- Clinicas del Camino Real: Ventura County FQHC network with multiple health centers providing primary care, dental, and women's health to underserved populations — comparable FQHC operating model and patient mix.
- Golden Valley Health Centers: Large California FQHC operating 40+ clinic sites across Merced, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin counties with comprehensive primary care, dental, and behavioral health services targeting Medi-Cal and uninsured patients.
- Borrego Health: Southern California FQHC (formerly one of the largest in the state) operating multiple clinic sites with primary care, women's health, and dental services — directly comparable FQHC model though currently in significant financial and operational restructuring.
Emerging players
- Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest: Regional nonprofit providing reproductive and women's health services including prenatal care, contraception, and STI treatment — comparable in women's health and community-based service delivery to TrueCare's women's health and doula programs.
Broad incumbents
- Sharp HealthCare: Large integrated regional health system serving San Diego County with hospitals, outpatient clinics, and health plans — overlapping TrueCare's service area but operating at much larger scale with broader commercial-payor mix.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
TrueCare social profiles
Digital presenceTrueCare compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
TrueCare financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TrueCare leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
TrueCare funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TrueCare M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about TrueCare
What does TrueCare do?
TrueCare is a Federally Qualified Health Center that delivers comprehensive primary, preventive, urgent, specialty, behavioral, dental, women's health, pediatric, and pharmacy services to patients across 27 health center locations in Southern California. Services are complemented by telehealth, mobile wellness, street medicine, and support programs such as WIC, transportation assistance, and insurance enrollment. Care is provided regardless of ability to pay using a sliding-scale fee schedule.
Is TrueCare a public or private company?
TrueCare is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was TrueCare founded?
TrueCare was founded in 1971. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is TrueCare based?
TrueCare is headquartered in San Marcos, United States, in the North America region.
How does TrueCare make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Patient Services Revenue is the primary driver. The others are government Grants and donations and Philanthropy.
Who are TrueCare's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Family Health Centers of San Diego, San Ysidro Health, Neighborhood Healthcare, Vista Community Clinic, La Maestra Community Health Centers, Clinicas del Camino Real, Golden Valley Health Centers and Borrego Health. Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest is listed as an emerging player. Sharp HealthCare is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does TrueCare have an API?
No public API is recorded for TrueCare.
What industry is TrueCare in?
TrueCare's product category is Community Health Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAFAGAA, Independent Primary Care Practices. Its NAICS code is 621 and its SIC code is 8011.