Seemingly endless debate continues at the highest levels of government. Much is focused on the national health care reform package being championed by the Clinton administration. Locally, Phyllis Primas is doing more than just talking. Primas describes her primary care system as being comprehensive, holistic, culturally sensitive, and accessible. Through an aggressive community outreach program, we are able to identify children in need of health services and then provide the necessary follow-up care.
Poverty hits children hardest.
The numbers are staggering in Arizona. State health officials estimate one of every five Arizona children currently lives in poverty. The numbers get worse among minority groups. Statistics indicate that half of all Native American children in Arizona today are living in poverty, as are 35 percent of all Hispanic children, and 48 percent of all children living in households headed by women. They have slipped through society's safety net.