In 1997, Dr. Pat Magle, Jim McKinney , Chief Financial Officer at Graceland University at the time, and Bonnie Orris, a local Pharmacist, met for the first of several meetings at the Pizza Shack in Lamoni to discuss how to improve healthcare in Decatur County.

Out of those meetings a steering committee of concerned citizens established Healthcare Development of Lamoni, Inc. (HDL) and filed Articles of Incorporation with the State of Iowa.  Bi-laws were adopted followed by the g ranting of a not-for-profit status in 1998.

After surveying the community, HDL found recruiting and retaining a high quality physicians a major concern.  The only practice facility in town was in poor physical shape, was not wheelchair accessible, and did not meet healthcare building facility codes.  Not only was this facility inadequate, but it made recruiting new physicians difficult and placed retention in serious jeopardy.  Facing the loss of existing healthcare services and difficulty in recruiting additional physicians to a rural impoverished area, HDL stepped forward, raised funds locally, secured a no interest loan, and built a modern clinic.  In June of 1999, this new facility opened and started providing healthcare services to the people of Decatur County and surrounding areas.

Since 1999, the Decatur County healthcare service area has seen an increased number of uninsured patients, less reimbursement, less people being served due to the economic conditions and declining revenue.  HDL's concern for escalating healthcare disparities and decreased access to affordable quality healthcare led it to conclude that Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) status was essential.  In April, 2003, HDL approved the name change to Community Health Centers of Southern Iowa, Inc. (CHCSI) with the goal of expanding its scope to serving the target population in the entire service area.  After several attempts at receiving FQHC status and Federal funding, CHCSI received a Federal grant of $650,000 in December, 2004.