About

His Health Care is not a program or clinical service.

It is a website established by Dr. Bill Morehouse to showcase a way of delivering “Integrated Care” that serves individuals, families, neighborhoods and entire communities as a visible manifestation of God’s love. Based on 40 years of experience founding and building a ministry called “His Branches” in Rochester, NY, Dr. Morehouse has gathered material that exemplifies the work of His Branches at the time of his “graduation into retirement” in 2018 with links to the current status of the ministry after his departure.

One of the tasks Dr. Morehouse undertook while the ministry of His Branches grew was to document its activities and services online in a number of interrelated public websites that he created. The purpose of collecting, organizing, and presenting that material here is so that it can be used by others as practical examples of how they might follow in the footsteps of the pioneering example of integrated care established in Rochester, as others have over the years. Similar faith-based works can be found in the ranks of those encouraged by the Christian Community Health Fellowship, where Dr. Morehouse is an honored long-term member who is often called upon as a conference speaker.

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William R. Morehouse, MD, Founder of His Branches, Inc. and Family Physician Emeritus

“I’m a happy person who loves getting to know and being able to help people of all ages. I connect with little children (and the little child in most adults) almost immediately. Sharing the joys and trials of relationships, pregnancy and delivery, and family life are the things about family practice that really lit my fire. I’ve found that having a sense of humor and seeing God’s Kingdom and His love at work can give us vision and purpose through some of life’s most difficult times, if we can keep the faith and hang in there together. ”

My wife Susan and I opened the faith-based office that became known as His Branches in 1978 where I practiced whole person faith-based care in the community while developing the ministry into a comprehensive primary care FQHC at the time of my “graduation into retirement” in 2018. While in active practice I developed several extensive websites to introduce and explain the ministry, archived on this website as legacy examples. Since 2018 I’ve been devoting my time to studying the Kingdom of God, prayer, family, and helping others grow in service. I hope what you find here will be an encouragement to you. If I can be of any help, just contact me.

For more information about my background, history, experience and interests, please visit my professional website at www.wmorehouse.com.

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A History of Integrated Care

Two years after becoming a committed Christian in 1974, Dr. Morehouse and his new bride Susan moved into an inner-city neighborhood on the west side of Rochester, NY. Their dream and heart were to establish a presence in the city for faith-based service that would integrate Christ-centered primary health care and multifaceted community outreach. A year later he was called to leave his medical position at the Eastman Kodak Company to follow a visionary blueprint (see Original Outline) he had received to set up shop and serve in a small commercial district two blocks from their home. Together with his wife Susan and a team of people from their church and the surrounding community His Branches came into being as a trans-denominational 501(c)3 nonprofit neighborhood ministry on Rochester’s west side where Dr. Morehouse began offering primary care and support services to all who would come.

From the start the His Branches model has been one that demonstrates integrated tripartite ministry to body, soul, and spirit in keeping with a fully Biblical worldview. Together with Jesus, the underlying prayer was and has always been “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven!” The work was remarkably received in the neighborhood when it first opened, and word got out rapidly through publicity like that written up in the local City West Newspaper. Since then, His Branches has grown into a multi-site faith-based Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that has become a thriving example of servant leadership and sacrifice in ministry for all who come, especially those who are less privileged in our community. Over the years, many others in the broader Christian community have caught the vision and transplanted it to their own communities throughout the United States.

His Branches Inc. is a nonsectarian Christian ministry that seeks to bring hope, healing and restoration to individuals, families, and entire neighborhoods.

In 1978 we opened our main office with a lot of community support on Arnett Boulevard in the heart of the City of Rochester, NY, as part of a progressive vision, dream, and prayer. The vision is of people from all walks of life being helped by gifted doctors and nurses working with others who are living out their faith caring for those in need. The dream and prayer encompasses fostering the restoration and growth of communities where children could grow up in healthy families, play in safe neighborhoods, worship in vibrant churches, and learn in enriching schools.

Over the years our name has highlighted our source of inspiration, encouragement, and strength: He is the Vine, the root and source of our motivation, and we are His Branches, grafted in and being renewed daily to serve.

Starting with just Dr. Morehouse and Rita Donnelly as his full-time, multi-function staff support person, His Branches Health Services, Embracing Options, and the outreach ministries of His Branches Community have grown to employ five providers and several project leaders supported by a full staff and many volunteers.

Click here or on the grapevine image above to visit our legacy main website and see more background information about the programs at His Branches under Dr. Morehouse’s leadership. As examples of the kind of archived information available you might want to read our public Statement of Faith and view the summary Dr. Morehouse gave at the His Branches Banquet in 2018 celebrating 40 Years of Serving. Or click here to find out more about the programs His Branches is currently sponsoring in the community.

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