AxessPointe Community Health Centers was founded in the mid-1990s when Dr. Bill Keck, then Director of the Akron City Health Department, and Cleveland State graduate Ralph Faulkner recognized that Akron lacked a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) to serve medically underserved communities. Together, they built support from the City of Akron, Akron Children’s, Akron General, and Summa Health, securing federal funding to establish the first FQHC in Summit County. By 1995, AxessPointe began serving patients out of the Wilbeth-Arlington Homes, laying the foundation for integrated medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services.

Under the leadership of its interim executive director, Mark Frisone, AxessPointe expanded its reach and impact, and in 2024, it merged with Family & Community Services, Inc. (FCS) to form Axess Family Services (AFS). This merger united healthcare and social services under one organization, continuing AxessPointe’s mission of improving access to care, addressing social determinants of health, and empowering communities across the region.