III
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 381
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
JULY 27, 2000
Received and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress that there should be
established a National Health Center Week to raise
awareness of health services provided by community, mi-
grant, and homeless health centers.
Whereas community, migrant, and homeless health centers
are nonprofit, community owned and operated health pro-
viders and are vital to the Nation’s communities;
Whereas there are more than 1,029 such health centers serv-
ing more than 11,000,000 people at 3,200 health delivery
sites, spanning urban and rural communities in all 50
HCON 381 RFS
States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and
the Virgin Islands;
Whereas such health centers have provided cost-effective,
quality health care to the Nation’s poor and medically
underserved (including the working poor, the uninsured,
and many high-risk and vulnerable populations), acting
as a vital safety net in the Nation’s health delivery sys-
tem, meeting escalating health needs, and reducing
health disparities;
Whereas these health centers provide care to 1 of every 10
uninsured Americans, 1 of every 8 low-income Americans,
and 1 of every 12 rural Americans, and these Americans
would otherwise lack access to health care;
Whereas these health centers and other innovative programs
in primary and preventive care reach out to more than
500,000 homeless persons and 600,000 farm workers;
Whereas these health centers make health care responsive
and cost effective by integrating the delivery of primary
care with aggressive outreach, patient education, trans-
lation, and enabling support services;
Whereas these health centers increase the use of preventive
health services such as immunizations, Pap smears,
mammograms, and glaucoma screenings;
Whereas in communities served by these health centers, in-
fant mortality rates have been reduced between 10 and
40 percent;
Whereas these health centers are built by community initia-
tive;
Whereas Federal grants provide seed money empowering
communities to find partners and resources and to re-
cruit doctors and needed health professionals;
HCON 381 RFS
Whereas Federal grants on average contribute 28 percent of
such a health center’s budget, with the remainder pro-
vided by State and local governments, Medicare, Med-
icaid, private contributions, private insurance, and pa-
tient fees;
Whereas these health centers are community oriented and pa-
tient focused;
Whereas these health centers tailor their services to fit the
special needs and priorities of communities, working to-
gether with schools, businesses, churches, community or-
ganizations, foundations, and State and local govern-
ments;
Whereas these health centers contribute to the health and
well-being of their communities by keeping children
healthy and in school and helping adults remain produc-
tive and on the job;
Whereas these health centers, with a total operating budget
of $4,000,000,000, bolster and stabilize communities by
stimulating development and investment, generating more
than $14,000,000,000 in community economic develop-
ment each year;
Whereas these health centers engage citizen participation and
provide jobs for 50,000 community residents; and
Whereas the establishment of a National Community Health
Center Week for the week beginning on August 20, 2000,
would raise awareness of the health services provided by
these health centers: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—
HCON 381 RFS
(1) there should be established a National Com-
munity Health Center Week to raise awareness of
health services provided by community, migrant, and
homeless health centers; and
(2) the President should issue a proclamation
calling on the people of the United States and inter-
ested organizations to observe such a week with ap-
propriate programs and activities.
Passed the House of Representatives July 27, 2000.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.
By MARTHA C. MORRISON,
Deputy Clerk.