National Health Center Week

WHEREAS, Alabama’s community health centers are at the core of our health care system and safety net delivering high quality, coordinated, cost effective and accessible primary care to all individuals regardless of their ability to pay, 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 15 health centers serving as medical homes for more than 325,000 Alabamians individuals at more than 120 locations; and

WHEREAS,as local community owned and operated businesses, health centers serve as critical economic engines helping to power local economies. In 2009 alone, Alabama’s health centers generated $200 million in direct economic impact and were responsible for more than 2,500 jobs in some of Alabama’s most economically deprived communities; 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. Alabama’s community health centers employ more than 120 physicians and more than 90 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 costs for the entire health system by keeping patients out of costlier health care settings, such as emergency rooms; and

WHEREAS, the health center model continues to prove an effective means of overcoming barriers to access including geography, income and insurance status and in doing so, improves health care outcomes and reduces health care system costs; and

WHEREAS,Alabama’s community health centers, through their state organization, the Alabama Primary Health Care Association, deserve commendation for their outstanding adherence to prescribed standards of care and quality assurance and for networking to maximize and coordinate resources, enabling the provision of services to more Alabamians; and

WHEREAS,National Health Center Week offers the opportunity to recognize America’s health centers and health centers across the state of Alabama, their staff, board members, and all those responsible for the continued success and growth of the program since it was created over 46 years ago. During this National Health Center Week, we recognize the multitude of ways in which America’s health centers are empowering healthier communities by delivering high quality, cost effective, accessible health care:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim the week of August 10 through 16, 2014, as

National Health Center Week

in the state of Alabama, and I encourage Alabamians to visit their local health center and recognize, appreciate and celebrate the important partnership between Alabama’s health centers and the communities they serve.