Presidential Documents

49647 

Federal Register 

Vol. 76, No. 154 

Wednesday, August 10, 2011 

Title 3— 

The President 

Proclamation 8698 of August 5, 2011 

National Health Center Week, 2011 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

Across our Nation, over 19 million Americans look to community health 

centers for medical checkups, education, advice, and critical services that 

keep them healthy. Throughout National Health Center Week, we recommit 

to supporting this vital resource for underserved communities, and we recognize the critical role community health centers play in our health-care 

system. 

Every day, men, women, and children find help at community health centers. 

These centers lead the way in providing high-quality services at an affordable 

cost, while lifting up the quality of life for their patients. We see the 

results among Medicaid beneficiaries—those receiving care from a health 

center are less likely to be unnecessarily hospitalized or visit an emergency 

room. We also see the effects in rural areas with community health centers, 

where hospitals see fewer uninsured emergency room visits. These health 

centers are easy to access—Americans can find a health center near them 

by using the ‘‘Find a Health Center’’ tool at www.HRSA.gov. 

My Administration continues to support these centers. Between the American 

Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Affordable Care Act, new funding 

has been committed to support technology and infrastructure updates to 

existing centers, as well as the construction of new ones. These laws also 

provided for important new initiatives that will benefit all Americans. The 

Affordable Care Act provided for the Health Centers Advanced Primary 

Care Practice demonstration project, which will use community health centers to test the impact of team-based treatment approaches on the care 

of elderly patients. 

Across our vast and diverse land, Americans have always made it their 

duty to serve their neighbors in need. It is the common interest and purpose 

of building a stronger, healthier Nation that drives the work of community 

health centers and fuels our efforts to improve our health-care system. During 

National Health Center Week, we celebrate the contributions of community 

health centers, and we rededicate ourselves to advancing the well-being 

of all our people. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States 

of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution 

and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim the week of August 

7 through August 13, 2011, as National Health Center Week. I encourage 

all Americans to celebrate this week by visiting their local community 

health center, meeting local health center providers, and exploring the programs they offer to help keep their families healthy. 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with MISCELLANEOUS
49648 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 154 / Wednesday, August 10, 2011 / Presidential Documents 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifth day of 

August, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence 

of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth. 

[FR Doc. 2011–20497 

Filed 8–9–11; 11:15 am] 

Billing code 3195–W1–P 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with MISCELLANEOUSOB#1.EPS</GPH>