PRINTER'S NO. 1088
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
155
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY VANCE, AUMENT, BAKER, MENSCH, COSTA, DINNIMAN,
SCHWANK, GREENLEAF, PILEGGI, RAFFERTY, SCAVELLO, VULAKOVICH,
WHITE, FONTANA, TARTAGLIONE, TEPLITZ AND YUDICHAK,
JUNE 22, 2015
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, JUNE 22, 2015
A RESOLUTION
Honoring community health centers and their 50 years of
providing quality and affordable primary and preventive
health care services.
WHEREAS, Community health centers, also known as federally
qualified health centers, were nationally founded in 1965 and
Pennsylvania welcomed its first community health center to
Pittsburgh in 1968; and
WHEREAS, It is the mission of all community health centers to
provide primary medical, dental and behavioral health services
to all individuals regardless of their income or access to
insurance; and
WHEREAS, Community health centers are the largest network of
primary care providers serving vulnerable Pennsylvanians in need
of primary care; and
WHEREAS, Community health centers can only be established in
communities that lack access to primary care or have significant
poverty rates; and
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WHEREAS, Community health centers provide primary care
services through their dedicated health professional employees
and a team-based approach to effective patient-centered primary
care; and
WHEREAS, Community health centers are nonprofit organizations
governed by their community-based board of directors to be
reflective of the community and patients they serve; and
WHEREAS, Community health centers provide primary care to
over 700,000 patients Statewide; and
WHEREAS, Community health centers have expanded their
services to over 250 sites serving patients in 49 rural and
urban counties; and
WHEREAS, Community health centers have demonstrated the
ability to serve more individuals challenged by social
determinants of health, such as poverty, and with complex
medical conditions, in a highly effective and cost-efficient
manner; and
WHEREAS, Community health centers are highly transparent by
providing clinical outcome measures to the public over multiple
years; and
WHEREAS, Community health centers have led health care
industry standards by a majority of centers attaining patient-
centered medical home recognition and implementing electronic
health records to better serve their patients; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate honor community health centers for
50 years of providing quality primary care to the residents of
this Commonwealth; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the
Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers, 1035 Mumma
Road, Suite 1, Wormleysburg, PA 17043.
20150SR0155PN1088 - 2 -
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