05 LC 33
0616
Senate
Resolution 66
By:
Senators Hill of the 4th, Stephens of the 27th, Thomas of the 54th, Tolleson of
the 20th and Meyer von Bremen of the 12th
A
RESOLUTION
Recognizing
February 3, 2005, as Community Health Centers Day; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS,
federally funded community health centers located in 94 of the state´s
medically underserved communities provide high quality primary and preventive
health care for over 221,000 people in the State of Georgia, including the
working poor, uninsured, underinsured, elderly, homeless, immigrants, and other
vulnerable populations without regard to income status, cultural or ethnic
heritage, or disease conditions; and
WHEREAS,
community health centers bring over $25 million in federal funds per year to
Georgia communities, recruit and retain excellent health professionals where
they are most needed, and offer access to a wide range of cost-effective medical
and dental services and prescription medicines as well as to health education,
nutrition counseling, translation, community outreach, transportation, and
support programs; and
WHEREAS,
community health centers have a track record of over three decades of
controlling costs, their cost effectiveness having been documented in several
studies which show that rates of emergency room visits and hospitalization are
much lower among community health center patients than patients of other
providers, including a Kaiser Foundation study which shows that community health
centers in Georgia save the state Medicaid program at least $14.4 million per
year for care provided to Medicaid patients; and
WHEREAS,
the community health centers work in partnership with other health care
providers, local hospitals, health departments, social service agencies, and
health related supportive services to maximize resources and assure that
services are coordinated to improve the health status of the community;
and
WHEREAS,
President George W. Bush has made expansion of community health centers to new
communities nationwide a hallmark of his health care agenda and has proposed
doubling the federal investment in health centers over a five-year period,
providing the opportunity for expansion of health center services in Georgia;
and
WHEREAS,
Georgia´s community health centers and their state organization, the
Georgia Association for Primary Health Care, support the president´s
expansion goals and have taken a leadership role in helping to resolve the
state´s health care access problems, assure continuous quality improvement,
and reduce health care disparities among the underserved through participation
in the national health disparity collaboratives; and
WHEREAS,
the community health centers deserve commendation for their valuable
contributions in expanding access to health care and their outstanding record of
service and dedication to improving the health care and health status of all
Georgians.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize
February 3, 2005, as Community Health Centers Day.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the Georgia Association
for Primary Health Care.