13-R380

2013 -- S 1032

Enacted 06/27/13

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING AUGUST 11TH THROUGH 17TH 2013 AS

NATIONAL HEALTH CENTER WEEK IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By: Senator Catherine Cool Rumsey

Date Introduced: June 27, 2013

     WHEREAS, America's community health centers are at the core of our health care

system and the nation's safety net, delivering high quality, cost effective, and accessible primary

care to all individuals regardless of their ability to pay, thereby keeping communities healthy and

productive; and

     WHEREAS, Health Centers are located in medically underserved areas and locally

controlled by patient majority boards making each health center responsive to the needs of their

community. Currently, there are more than 1,200 health centers serving as medical homes for

more than 22 million individuals at more than 8,100 locations; and

     WHEREAS, Community Health Centers have been in existence for over 45 years and

have compiled a significant record of success by reducing income and ethnic health disparities

nationwide, even in the poorest and most challenged communities, producing $24 billion in

annual health system savings, reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and unnecessary visits to the

ER, and generating a system of preventive medicine that patients use regularly to stay healthy,

thus saving lives; and

     WHEREAS, Health centers offer patient focused, coordinated health care, preventive and

primary care that families and individuals need, where and when they need it. Community health

centers employ more than 9,500 physicians and more than 6,300 nurse practitioners, physician

assistants, and certified nurse midwives in a multi-disciplinary clinical workforce designed to

treat the whole patient through culturally-competent, accessible, and integrated care. This unique

model allows health centers to save the entire health system billions of dollars annually by

keeping patients out of costlier health care settings, such as emergency rooms; and

     WHEREAS, National Health Center Week offers the opportunity to recognize America's

health centers and health centers across the State of Rhode Island, their staff, board members, and

all those responsible for the continued success and growth of the program since it was created

over 45 years ago. During this National Health Center Week, we recognize the multitude of ways

in which America's Health Centers are powering and empowering healthier communities by

delivering high quality, cost effective, accessible health care; and

     WHEREAS, Wood River Health Services in Hope Valley, RI, through its excellent,

caring staff and dedicated volunteers, provides all of these benefits and more to the people of

Washington County, Rhode Island; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby proclaims August 11th through 17th, 2013, as National Health Center Week in the State of

Rhode Island. In this week especially we encourage every citizen of the state to visit their local

health center and recognize, appreciate and celebrate the important partnership between health

centers and the communities they serve; 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 Merrill Thomas, CEO of the Providence

Community Health Centers, Inc.

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LC02901

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