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107TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. CON. RES. 59 CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Whereas community, migrant, public housing, and homeless health centers are nonprofit and community owned and operated health providers that are vital to the Nation’s communities; Whereas there are more than 1,029 of these health centers serving nearly 12,000,000 people at 3,200 health delivery sites, spanning urban and rural communities in the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands; Whereas these health centers have provided cost-effective, quality health care to the Nation’s poor and medically underserved, including the working poor, the uninsured, and many high-risk and vulnerable populations; Whereas these health centers act as a vital safety net in the Nation’s health delivery system, meeting escalating health needs and reducing health disparities; Whereas these health centers provide care to 1 of every 9 un- insured Americans, 1 of every 8 low-income Americans, and 1 of every 10 rural Americans, who would otherwise lack access to health care; Whereas these health centers, and other innovative programs in primary and preventive care, reach out to 600,000 homeless persons and more than 650,000 farm workers; 2 SCON 59 ES Whereas these health centers make health care responsive and cost-effective by integrating the delivery of primary care with aggressive outreach, patient education, trans- lation, and enabling support services; Whereas these health centers increase the use of preventive health services such as immunizations, Pap smears, mammograms, and glaucoma screenings; Whereas in communities served by these health centers, in- fant mortality rates have been reduced between 10 and 40 percent; Whereas these health centers are built by community initia- tive; Whereas Federal grants provide seed money empowering communities to find partners and resources and to re- cruit doctors and health professionals; Whereas Federal grants, on average, contribute 28 percent of these health centers’ budgets, with the remainder pro- vided by State and local governments, Medicare, Med- icaid, private contributions, private insurance, and pa- tient fees; Whereas these health centers are community oriented and pa- tient focused; Whereas these health centers tailor their services to fit the special needs and priorities of communities, working to- gether with schools, businesses, churches, community or- ganizations, foundations, and State and local govern- ments; Whereas these health centers contribute to the health and well-being of their communities by keeping children healthy and in school and helping adults remain produc- tive and on the job; 3 SCON 59 ES Whereas these health centers engage citizen participation and provide jobs for 50,000 community residents; and Whereas the establishment of a National Community Health Center Week for the week beginning August 19, 2001, would raise awareness of the health services provided by these health centers: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 1 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that— 2 (1) there should be established a National Com- 3 munity Health Center Week for the week beginning 4 August 19, 2001, to raise awareness of health serv- 5 ices provided by community, migrant, public hous- 6 ing, and homeless health centers; and 7 (2) the President should issue a proclamation 8 calling on the people of the United States and inter- 9 ested organizations to observe such a week with ap- 10 propriate programs and activities. 11 Passed the Senate August 3, 2001. Attest: Secretary. 107TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. CON. RES. 59 CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that there should be established a National Community Health Center Week to raise awareness of health serv- ices provided by community, migrant, public housing, and homeless health centers.