NACHC Washington Update

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What Do the B-52s and Health Centers Have in Common?

Rock and Roll and health care are rarely subjects one mentions in the same sentence, but Open Door Family Medical Centers in New York is thumbing its nose and convention and mixing it up. The largest federally qualified community health center in Westchester County has broken the mold for fundraisers in the past by producing bi-annual concerts that have played to sold-out audiences. This go around the B-52S are the headline act in a concert set for April 11 at the Performing Arts Center. The B-52s are the groundbreaking band that put Athens, Georgia on the musical map in the late '70s with hits like the "Love Shack" and "Rock Lobster," and conquered the world with its savvy hooks and unconventional approach to music-making. VIP Tickets are available online at www.opendoormedical.org. The fund-raising concert presents a rare chance to invest in good health care and a good cause, and also dance to some rockin' good tunes.

After Katrina,Lousiana Rebuilds Health Care

The building blocks of an affordable primary health care infrastructure in Louisiana are finally being laid with the handover of a $41,500,000 dollar check to the Lousiana Primary Care Association. The funds will boost availability of primary care health services to the state's ranks of uninsured and medically underserved people-- especially in communities in and around Katrina's footprint-- through federally supported Community Health Centers. Health centers have already played a key role in providing preventive and primary health services to low income and chronically ill people in the immediate aftermath of the massive storm. With the Charity Hospital system effectively broken after Katrina, health centers now have the resources to provide Lousianians with a health care home, no matter their insurance status or ability to pay. Check out the press release Download lousianapressrelease.pdf

Sleepless in Seattle

As we've noted before, there wouldn't be a health center movement without advocacy. That's why every month we try to congratulate the stand out health center true believers. The first 2008 congratulations goes to our January National Community Health Advocate of the Month: Diana Olsen, Marketing and Community Relations Manager for Community Health Centers of King County (CHCKC) in Seattle, WA. Diana's energetic efforts on behalf of the health center bring new meaning to the phrase "sleepless in Seattle." Diana burned the midnight oil for many nights to make grassroots advocacy a top priority. She diligently worked hard to enlist 100 new health center advocates for state and federal initiatives. Diana also took the lead in organizing multiple health center events that drew key elected leaders, such as U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Washington Governor Christine Gregoire. Now just days into 2008, Diana has already laid the groundwork to jumpstart voter registration initiatives for health centers. Must be that good Seattle coffee that keeps her going.

Preventing Deadly Bacteria Outbreaks in Brooklyn

Antibiotic resistant staph infections (also called MRSA or Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) are causing worry among health officials nationwide. According to news reports, MRSA last year killed more people in the U.S. than AIDS. A Brooklyn, NY, Community Health Center is joining forces with businesses and elected officials to fight back against this deadly bacteria through a new initiative that will protect school children. Lutheran Family Health Centers helped launch a mass distribution of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and materials on handwashing tips in several languages, including Chinese, Russian, Arabic and Urdu. The initiative is part of a cooperative between local elected leaders and companies like Forest City Ratner Companies and the the future Brooklyn Nets.

In this photo you can see Norma Villanueva, M.D., chief of pediatric and adolescent health for Lutheran Family Health Centers, showing students at P.S. 101 how to wash their hands an prevent MRSA.

White House Celebrates Health Center Expansion

The Bush Administration touts health center expansion as a major feather in its cap. This week the Department of Health and Human Services heralded the completion of the President’s health center initiative. “People served by health centers are among the most vulnerable in America,” said Secretary Leavitt in a press release issued last week. “By extending care to communities where none existed before, we are strengthening the nation’s health care safety net for those with nowhere to turn.”
President Bush was also on point as he delivered praise of the health center mission just as fights over next year’s budget reach a boiling point on Capitol Hill. During a visit to One World Community Health Center in Omaha, NE, the President touted the accomplishments of the federal Health Centers program, and committed to “working with Congress to continue to expand the reach of these important facilities.” More on the President’s remarks here.

We're Hip To Kip

Three cheers for our December National Community Health Advocate of the Month, Kip Landry – board member at Family Health Center in Marshfield, Wisconsin. Kip joined the health center team in 2005 with a fierce commitment to moving the health center mission forward with grassroots momentum. Kip also uses media to spread the word about the accomplishments of health centers. A case in point is a short film he developed recently that highlights how health centers are addressing the dental needs of low-income residents in the state. Kip took on that project after a challenge from none other than Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, who reportedly responded, "I’d like to see that’" when informed of health centers' plans to address the dental needs of Wisconsin patients.
Kip’s persistence and commitment to health center advocacy and energetic efforts to engage decision-makers puts Kip in a category all his own. Join us in congratulating our December National Community Health Advocate of the Month – Kip Landry.

Colorado's Breakfast of Champions Draws a Real Champion

In Colorado Springs, a real champion attended the third annual breakfast of champions at Peak Vista Community Health Center. The health center held its third annual fundraising event featuring Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee. The former track and field star provided the keynote at the event, which raised more than $100,000 for primary medical, dental and behavioral health services for working families in the Pikes Peak Colorado region. Though not gold medalists, the other champions we should mention are the doctors, dentists, nurses and volunteers at Peak Vista who care for 52 thousand patients a year. Now that's medal-worthy too! Here's the press release:Download bocpost_press2007.pdf

Board members from Peak Vista Community Health Centers and major sponsors join BJ Scott, President and CEO (second from left) and Keynote Speaker and Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee (center), at the third annual Breakfast of Champions fundraiser in Colorado Springs, CO on November 7. The event enhances awareness, generates funds for direct patient care and recognizes "champions" associated with Peak Vista. Attendees numbered 630 with more than $100,000 raised to assist the 52,000 patients Peak Vista serves each year in Colorado's El Paso and Teller counties.

The Buzz About Health Centers

With health care reform reaching a crescendo in Washington and on the Presidential stump, it's nice to see a few minds focused on health care solutions that are a tested model. America's Health Centers are just such a model and folks are paying attention. A case in point is this week's New York Times, which cited health centers as "being hailed for delivering economical care to the nation’s uninsured, with Mr. Bush calling them a “really good use of taxpayers’ money.'" Check out the article here.
Also the Bob's Blog on the California Endowment had this to say: "For too long, America has viewed community health centers quite uni-dimensionally: as the place where poor people and the uninsured can access health services. While this is true, it is a limited view. Community health centers (CHCs in shorthand) represent this nation’s best investment of this nation’s health care dollar; no other dollar spent comes close." You can read more here.

Mr. Happy Makes It Happen

This guy puts a smile on everyone’s face! Announcing the November National Community Health Advocate of the Month, Howard “Mr. Happy” Sanders, II – School Based Program Coordinator at Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center in Jackson, Mississippi. Howard first became involved with health centers as a community volunteer. His dedication and expertise quickly vaulted him into a staff position, where he earned the nickname “Mr. Happy” from coworkers for his nfectious positive energy and creative efforts to engage the staff and community in advocating on behalf of health centers. Sanders jumped at the chance to lead the heatlh center advocacy steering committee, recruiting eight colleagues to join the effort and drive the Jackson-Hinds advocacy machine. Never one to sit still long, after organizing policy education workshops and advocacy trainings for his colleagues, Howard took his advocacy efforts into the community – recruiting dozens of new health center advocates and attracting the attention and involvement of key government and civic leaders! Howard makes us happy just thinking about tireles advocacy efforts-- that's why he's our National Community Health Advocate of the Month for November!