National Health Center Week Celebrates 45 Years
Fitting into the mold of promoting health care awareness, the week of August 8 through August, 14, 2010 is National Health Center Week. This year, Health Care in Public Housing Day, Health Care for the Homeless and Farmworker Health Day will be highlighted on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
In a proclamation in honor of the week, President Barack Obama stated:
“Community health centers are at the heart of a modern, reformed health care system in America. We must continue to invest in these centers and ensure that comprehensive, culturally competent, and quality primary health care services are accessible in every community across our Nation.”
More than 20 million people receive care from health centers, according to the National Association of Community Health Centers. The majority of the people are low income with 70 percent of them at or below the poverty line.
The National Association of Community Health Centers has sponsored the week for close to 30 years. This year’s theme is “Celebrating America’s Health Centers: Turning the Vision into Reality,” reflecting the 45th anniversary of the Health Center Program and the health care reform movement. Local events, including health fairs, block parties and screenings, will be held throughout the week. More information on events can be found www.healthcenterweek.org. – Brittany Johnson
Tell us: Have community health centers played a role in your life?
