Mayor signs proclamation designating Aug. 5-11 National Health Center Week

Las Animas Mayor Sena signed a proclamation making Aug. 5-11 National Health Center Week. “Powering Healthier Communities”  is the theme for the National Health Center Week and is dedicated to the services and contributions of Community, Migrant, Homeless and Public Housing Health Center. These centers provide access to “affordable, high quality, and cost effective health care to medically vulnerable and underserved people in our region and throughout the United States.”

Currently, there are 1,200 health centers servinge more than 20 million individuals at more than 8,100 locations. Health centers also generate income and provide nearly 200,000 jobs in areas hit hardest by the recession.

 Valley-Wide is a federally funded Community/Migrant Health Center serving 16 rural Colorado counties. They recently went through a rigorous on-site survey in April which gave them a special certification for accredited ambulatory care and is recognized by the Joint Commission’s national standards. “Organizations that pursue the PCMH option from The Joint Commission are demonstrating the highest commitment to delivering primary care in a comprehensive, coordinated, and accessible model,” says Michael Kulczycki, executive director, Ambulatory Care Accreditation Program, The Joint Commission. “I commend Valley-Wide for successfully achieving this pinnacle and for its dedication to continually improving patient care.”

The Joint Commission was founded in 1951 and seeks to continuously improve health care for the public and evaluate health care organizations. They accredit more than 19,000 health care organizations in the United States.

Community health centers provide preventive and primary care for families and individuals in the location it is needed. More than 9,500 physicians and more than 6,300 nurse practitioners, physician assistants and certified nurse midwives provide services to “treat the whole patient” across the country. “This unique model allows the health centers to save the entire health system approximately $24 billion annually by keeping patients out of costlier health care settings, such as emergency rooms,” stated the proclamation.

Mayor Sena by signing the proclamation joins other officials in recognizing the multitude of ways in which America’s health centers are powering and empowering healthier communities by delivering high quality, cost effective and accessible health care.

Cindy Masias is the Outreach and Social Project Manager for the Valley-Wide Clinics in the Arkansas Valley.  Other activities are planned for the week. Contact Masias at 468-1466 or Suzanne DeVore at 587-1022 for information on activities planned. To learn more about The Joint Commission go to www.jointcommission.org or to learn about local Valley-Wide Health Systems go to www.vwhs.org.