2021 -- H 6116

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LC002372

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

THANKING DR. BEATA NELKEN FOR HER TIRELESS EFFORTS TO ASSIST THE

COMMUNITY OF CENTRAL FALLS AS IT CONFRONTS THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF

THE COVID-19 VIRUS, AND CONGRATULATING HER ON BEING HONORED BY THE

CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS ON MARCH 11 AS PART OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S

DAY 2021

     Introduced By: Representatives Giraldo, McLaughlin, Barros, Filippi, Blazejewski, and
Ajello

     Date Introduced: March 09, 2021

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Rhode Island and the Northeast in the

winter of 2020, it quickly became apparent that Central Falls was going to be Rhode Island’s

pandemic hot spot. More than ever, the community needed the services of a devoted public

servant such as Dr. Beata Nelken; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Nelken was born in California, the granddaughter of a woman who

immigrated to the United States from Mexico. She graduated from Wesleyan University and the

University of Connecticut School of Medicine. She completed her medical residency at Brown

University, and did her training at Hasbro Children’s Hospital. She also took part in medical

brigades in Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Nelken then proceeded to practice at the Thundermist Health Center for

ten years and at the Blackstone Valley Community Health Center for four years before she

decided to form her own pediatric practice in Central Falls last year. She was motivated to make

this decision after her work in Central Falls High School where she saw many families, including

recent immigrants, who were unable to afford prescription medication; and

     WHEREAS, When Dr. Nelken opened her practice in Central Falls, she provided free

health care to uninsured children. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, the pandemic hit our nation,

and Central Falls quickly became a COVID-19 hot spot. Dr. Nelken quicky sprang into action.

With an Abbott machine provided by the Rhode Island Department of Health, and a second

Abbott machine and a one-hour PCR machine, Dr. Nelken and her staff literally spent time

standing on the sidewalk, offering people free COVID-19 tests; and

     WHEREAS, During the early period of state testing held at the Twin River Casino in

Lincoln, many Central Falls residents struggled due to language barriers, lack of referrals from

primary care doctors, or were unable to get to Lincoln. As a result, her office quickly became a

trusted and convenient source of testing within Central Falls. Within a year, her staff had grown

to fifteen, all able to speak Spanish, and hundreds of tests were conducted; and

     WHEREAS, As Dr. Nelken observed the immense suffering that has taken place over the

last year in Central Falls, she says that she has felt a “call to duty to respond to the dire need of

the situation.” Thanks to Dr. Nelken’s tireless work ethic and enormous reservoir of compassion

for the people of Central Falls, many Central Falls residents have received much-needed and vital

medical services they would have otherwise been unable to attain; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

thanks Dr. Beata Nelken for her tireless efforts to assist the community of Central Falls as it

confronts the negative effects of the COVID-19 virus, and furthermore, congratulates her on

being honored by the City of Central Falls on March 11 as part of International Women’s Day

2021; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of state be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Dr. Beata Nelken.

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LC002372

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