BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA

A PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS: WHEREAS: WHEREAS : WHEREAS: WHEREAS: WHEREAS: THEREFORE:

HEALTH CENTER WEEK
For more than 50 years, community health centers have provided high-quality and affordable health care in our nation's underserved communities, demonstrating that locally governed health care can improve lives while lowering costs; and
What began as a small demonstration project in two states has grown into the country's largest primary care network. Today, more than 24 million Americans use health centers for primary healthcare, visiting more than 9,000 delivery sites across the nation ; and
Health centers provide high-quality and accessible primary and preventive care to individuals regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. The health centers are locally controlled by patient-majority boards, ensuring that each center remains responsive to the needs of the specific community it serves; and
Health centers cut costs for health systems on annually by helping patients manage chronic conditions out of costlier health care settings such as hospital emergency rooms; and
. The health center model continues to show an effective means of reducing healthcare disparities and overcoming barriers to healthcare access, including geography, income and insurance status; and
Health Center Week offers the opportunity to recognize the nation's health centers, their dedicated staff, board members, and all those responsible for the continued operation and success since the first health centers opened their doors more than 50 years ago; now
I, NATHAN DEAL, Governor of the State of Georgia, do hereby proclaim August 713, 2016 as HEALTH CENTER WEEK in Georgia.
In witness thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the Executive Department to be affixed this 12th of July in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen .

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