2013 -- S 1032

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LC02901

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING AUGUST 11TH THROUGH 17TH 2013 AS

NATIONAL HEALTH CENTER WEEK IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Senator Catherine Cool Rumsey

     Date Introduced: June 27, 2013

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

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     WHEREAS, America's community health centers are at the core of our health care

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system and the nation's safety net, delivering high quality, cost effective, and accessible primary

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care to all individuals regardless of their ability to pay, thereby keeping communities healthy and

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productive; and

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     WHEREAS, Health Centers are located in medically underserved areas and locally

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controlled by patient majority boards making each health center responsive to the needs of their

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community. Currently, there are more than 1,200 health centers serving as medical homes for

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more than 22 million individuals at more than 8,100 locations; and

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     WHEREAS, Community Health Centers have been in existence for over 45 years and

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have compiled a significant record of success by reducing income and ethnic health disparities

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nationwide, even in the poorest and most challenged communities, producing $24 billion in

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annual health system savings, reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and unnecessary visits to the

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ER, and generating a system of preventive medicine that patients use regularly to stay healthy,

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thus saving lives; and

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     WHEREAS, Health centers offer patient focused, coordinated health care, preventive and

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primary care that families and individuals need, where and when they need it. Community health

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centers employ more than 9,500 physicians and more than 6,300 nurse practitioners, physician

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assistants, and certified nurse midwives in a multi-disciplinary clinical workforce designed to

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treat the whole patient through culturally-competent, accessible, and integrated care. This unique

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model allows health centers to save the entire health system billions of dollars annually by

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keeping patients out of costlier health care settings, such as emergency rooms; and

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     WHEREAS, National Health Center Week offers the opportunity to recognize America's

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health centers and health centers across the State of Rhode Island, their staff, board members, and

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all those responsible for the continued success and growth of the program since it was created

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over 45 years ago. During this National Health Center Week, we recognize the multitude of ways

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in which America's Health Centers are powering and empowering healthier communities by

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delivering high quality, cost effective, accessible health care; and

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     WHEREAS, Wood River Health Services in Hope Valley, RI, through its excellent,

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caring staff and dedicated volunteers, provides all of these benefits and more to the people of

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Washington County, Rhode Island; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

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hereby proclaims August 11th through 17th, 2013, as National Health Center Week in the State of

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Rhode Island. In this week especially we encourage every citizen of the state to visit their local

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health center and recognize, appreciate and celebrate the important partnership between health

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centers and the communities they serve; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Merrill Thomas, CEO of the Providence

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Community Health Centers, Inc.

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