Celebrating the Nation’s Community Health Centers

Aug. 4-10, 2019, is National Health Center Week, a time to raise awareness and celebrate the accomplishments of America’s health centers.

According to the National Association of Community Health Centers, health centers serve 28 million patients a year – a number that grows every year along with the demand for affordable primary care.

The association sponsors the week of recognition under the theme “America’s Health Centers: Rooted in Communities.”

The theme includes special topics of focus on each day of the week:

• Sunday, Aug. 4: Social Determinants Day. The social determinants of health are the socioeconomic conditions, environmental conditions, institutional and social networks that affect how a community lives, works and ages. By understanding patients’ clinical and non-clinical needs, health centers can take steps to improve health outcomes.
• Monday, Aug. 5: Healthcare for the Homeless Day. This day celebrates and advocates for the Healthcare for the Homeless programs, which provide care to more than 1.3 million individuals experiencing homelessness nationwide. These programs address poor nutrition, inadequate hygiene, exposure to violence and weather-related illness and injury and the stress of housing instability faced by individuals experiencing homelessness. Learn more from the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, which advocates the idea that no one deserves to be homeless.
• Tuesday, Aug. 6: Agricultural Worker Day. Health centers serve 20 percent of the estimated 4.5 million agricultural workers in the United States, including migrant and seasonal agricultural workers and their families. Learn more from the National Center for Farmworker Health.
• Wednesday, Aug. 7: Patient Appreciation Day. National Health Centers are required to have boards of directors are made up of at least 51 percent consumers. This means that patients from the community, representing the race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status of the community, have a voice in making health centers aware of needs and holding them accountable. Learn more from the Health Center Advocacy Network.
• Thursday, Aug. 8: Stakeholder Appreciation Day. Health centers depend on legislative support to deliver on their mission, through the $7.8 billion in federal grant funding for the Community Health Center program. This is the day to recognize and applaud local, state and federal legislators whose advocacy is integral to the success of health centers across the nation.
• Friday, Aug. 9: Health Center Staff Appreciation Day. This day provides a public “Thank You” to the associates at health centers who deliver high quality health care to patients in need.
• Saturday, Aug. 10: Children’s Health Day. Health centers provide primary health care services to more than 8 million children in the United States. Programs include well-child exams, nutrition support, behavioral health services and events providing books, car seats, back-to-school supplies and much more – all to help children feel healthy, happy and empowered.

At Swope Health, all are welcome on Wednesday, August 7, Patient Appreciation Day, to enjoy healthy treats and snacks provided by United Healthcare. Swope Health associates are raising funds for homeless meals through a special barbecue luncheon on Health Center Staff Appreciation Day.