Newswise — The Florida Association of Community Health Centers (FACHC) has awarded $40,000 to the Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health Policy at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS). The FACHC is the ninth primary care association to provide formal support to the program.
Established in 2004 as a special policy initiative of The George Washington University SPHHS, and honoring Drs. H. Jack Geiger and Count Gibson, pioneers in community health practice and tireless advocates for civil and human rights, the Geiger Gibson program focuses on the contribution of health centers to national policy. A major gift to the Program in 2007 from the RCHN Community Health Foundation has helped to support education, research, and training in community practice and leadership. The program aims to develop the next generation of community health leaders, with particular emphasis on the study of community health centers.
Nearly 40 years ago, Geiger and Gibson founded the nation's first health centers in Mound Bayou, Mississippi and Boston, Massachusetts. Today, more than 1200 health centers care for over 16 million persons in 6000 urban and rural medically underserved communities across the nation. More than 40 health centers served nearly 779,000 Florida residents in 2007.
"The generosity of health centers and primary care associations has made the Geiger Gibson Program possible," said Sara Rosenbaum, Hirsh Professor and chair of the Department of Health Policy, which is home to the Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health Policy, "and we are thrilled to receive this award. The Florida Association joins primary care associations in Colorado, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, and the Mountain-Plains states, as well as health centers from across the country, in supporting the program."
Andrew Behrman, President of FACHC, said "Our Association is pleased to provide these funds to the George Washington University's Geiger Gibson Program to help further the important work relating to community health centers and their contribution to national health care policy. We are hopeful that other primary care associations will join us in supporting this excellent program."
About the FACHCSince 1981, the Florida Association of Community Health Centers, Inc. (FACHC) has been the leading state advocate for community-based health care programs. Focusing on Florida's Federally Qualified Community Health Centers, the Association plays a vital role in educating federal, state and local policymakers about issues relating to health care and the role of the health centers. The primary mission of FACHC is to improve access to quality health services by bringing together agencies, legislators and key persons able to affect health care services. The Association recently has embarked on a statewide primary care initiative to impress upon the state legislature the need for a focus on this area and the resultant potential savings to a nearly $20B budget item in Florida. The Association has begun to work with other organizations such as the Florida Chapter of AAFP and the Florida Osteopathic Association on this important issue.
Some key elements of Florida's Federally Qualified Health Centers are: - FQHCs are community-based health care providers serving as the medical home to over 795,000 patients with nearly 3 million visits in 2007.
- There are 42 FQHCs including Community, Migrant, Homeless Centers, operating in Florida and these organizations currently provide quality health care in more than 230service locations.
75.1% of patients are at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level
57% of patients are uninsured
41% of patients are children
30,737 patients are infants
67,860 patients are migrant/seasonal farm workers
66,071 patients are homeless
26,578 patients are receiving prenatal care
- Nearly 200,000 patients receiving medical services at Florida FQHCs are Medicaid recipients.
- Florida's FQHCs are committed to expanding access to primary health care and establishing a medical home for patients while further developing patient responsibility for personal health care. This effort enhances improved health outcomes which reduce costs and extend public and private health care resources.
About The George Washington University Medical CenterThe George Washington University Medical Center is an internationally recognized interdisciplinary academic health center that has consistently provided high-quality medical care in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, since 1824. The Medical Center comprises the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the 11th oldest medical school in the country; the School of Public Health and Health Services, the only such school in the nation's capital; GW Hospital, jointly owned and operated by a partnership between The George Washington University and a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc.; and the GW Medical Faculty Associates, an independent faculty practice plan. For more information on GWUMC, visit www.gwumc.edu.
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