National Health Center Week (NHCW), August 6 – 12, is an annual celebration with the goal of raising awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s health centers over the past five decades.
FOCUS DAY • Stakeholder Appreciation Day
The CHC program is nationally recognized and federally funded, receiving bipartisan support for more than 50 years. Today is the day that we recognize and celebrate the legislative advocates of the CHC movement, as well as the community partners who support our mission to provide exceptional health to people facing access barriers through clinical programs and education.
Learn more about this focus day.
PEAK VISTA'S PARTICIPATION
Peak Vista has offered the opportunity for various legislators to tour our locations and learn more about Peak Vista and the community health center program.
CHC HISTORY • The 90's and 00's
CHCs saw a mixed bag of support during these two decades. While President George H. Bush proposed an expansion of the health center program and Congress established Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in the early 90’s, this section of time also saw Congressional efforts to block or dismantle several health programs – including Medicaid.
Also in this time period:
- The 340B Drug Pricing Program is created, requiring pharmaceutical manufacturers to medicines to health centers at discounted rates. (Learn more about this program and its need here)
- The Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) program is established.
- The sliding scale fee and open-door policy are established across all CHCs. (1)
DAILY BOOK RECOMMENDATION
The Good Doctors – The Medical Committee for Human Rights and the Struggle for Social Justice in Health Care
by John Dittmer
“The Good Doctors describes a unique historical event in our ongoing struggles for civil rights and social justice: how hundreds of doctors, nurses, medical students, psychologists and other health professionals came to join Mississippi's 'Freedom Summer' in 1964 and served as a volunteer medical corps for the civil rights movement. They went on to help launch a nationwide community health center network for the poor and underserved. (UPMH. Jack Geiger, MD, professor emeritus, CUNY Medical School)”
