Title
To support and recognize community health centers, and declare the week of August 10 through 16, 2014 to be National Health Center Week in Columbus.
Body
WHEREAS; for nearly 50 years nationwide, and nearly 40 years in Columbus, community health centers have provided high quality, cost effective, neighborhood-based primary and preventative healthcare services to individuals regardless of their ability to pay; and
WHEREAS; one in every fifteen people in the United States depend on community health centers for healthcare services, with over 22 million people accessing care through more than 9,000 delivery sites across the nation; and
WHEREAS; Columbus Neighborhood Health Center, Inc., Heart of Ohio Family Health Centers, Lower Lights Christian Health Center, and Southeast, Inc. are designated as federally qualified health centers, which, combined, provide care to thousands of Columbus residents annually; and
WHEREAS; all Columbus based community health centers are located in medically underserved areas; and
WHEREAS; all Columbus based community health centers are governed by locally-controlled patient-majority boards, which allow each health center to be responsive to the specific needs of the community it serves; and
WHEREAS; Columbus' health centers make a significant contribution to the overall health of the City by treating patients with multi-disciplinary clinical teams, coordinating care and managing chronic disease while working to reduce unnecessary, avoidable and wasteful use of health resources; and
WHEREAS; the health center model is an effective means of improving healthcare outcomes, reducing healthcare system costs, and overcoming financial, geographic, lingual and cultural barriers to healthcare access; and
WHEREAS; health centers represent an essential component of our community's ability to continue to meet the needs of new patients, including the newly insured under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; and
WHEREAS; while addressing the healthcare needs of the City's residents, Columbus' health centers support jobs in the community by employing hundreds of physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, case managers, and community health workers; and
WHEREAS; National Health Center Week offers the opportunity to recognize America's health centers, their dedicated staff, board members, and everyone responsible for the continued success and growth of the program since its creation almost 50 years ago; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this Council does hereby declare August 10 through 16, 2014 to be National Health Center Week in Columbus, and recognize the important partnership between the health centers and the communities that they serve.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That this Council commends the staff and board members of each of Columbus' federally qualified health centers on their contribution to the overall health of this community.