What is National Health Center Week?
National Health Center week is a yearly event promoted through the National Association of Community Health Centers. Centers across the United States celebrate their accomplishments within their communities and spread advocacy awareness about the importance of community health centers.
The official goals of National Health Center week are to celebrate health centers, increase awareness and community buy-in and advocate for emergency and long-term funding for Community Health Centers.
What Nation-Wide events are scheduled during National Health Center Week?
The National Association of Community Health Centers has released the yearly schedule of topics for the 2020 National Health Center Week. Centers plan their own events specific to their communities, and it gets competitive!
- Sunday August 9th- Public Health in Housing Day
- Monday, August 10th- Healthcare for the homeless day
- Tuesday, August 11th-Agricultural worker health day
- Wednesday August 12th- Patient Appreciation Day
- Thursday August 13th- Stakeholder Appreciation Day
- Friday, August 14th- Health Center Staff Appreciation Day
- Saturday, August 15th- Children’s Health Day
What is Community Heath Care Systems doing to celebrate?
This year, our agency has been chosen to feature our events on a nation-wide platform. How exciting!
Although we are not celebrating the days exactly as according to the National Health Center Week schedule, we have tried to remain as true as possible to the original schedule.
August 9th, Children’s Health Day: Every year, staff member Camesha Grant organizes free sports physicals with our local schools. Camesha coordinates with our medical providers, medical assistants and outreach staff in order to ensure that the children are in physical condition for athletics. Sports physicals are valuable to our rural communities because they reduce a barrier to athletic participation for many students. Without free sports physicals, families would have to pay out of pocket for their child to attend a doctor’s appointment for medical clearance.
Counties that Camesha has hosted physicals this year include Warren, Johnson, Baldwin, Wheeler, Telfair, Washington, Jefferson and Glascock. Thank you Camesha and team!
Monday, August 10th, Public Health in Housing Day: CHCS will be hosting COVID-19 testing at our clinic in Warrenton, Georgia. Tests will have a 3-4 day turn-around. All patients should pre-register by calling 1-844-552-2427.
Tuesday, August 11th, Agricultural worker health day: CHCS Outreach Staff have been in contact with the farmers supplying our vital produce and meat. We will be hand-delivering thank-you gift baskets to key farming groups in Middle Georgia as a special token of appreciation for their hard work.
Wednesday, August 12th, Patient Appreciation Day: CHCS will have a photo-prop for each site. Feel free to take a photo within our frame to celebrate National Health Week! We will also be giving away free 2ox bottles of hand sanitizer.
Thursday, August 13th, Stakeholder Appreciation Day: We will be delivering catered meals to our important community partners as to reduce the spread of COVID-19. We will also be signing declarations with our city mayors as a celebration of the partnerships that have allowed access to rural health care across Georgia. If you are a government leader interested in signing a proclamation of support with Community Health Care Systems, please contact Ann Price at aprice@chcsga.org.
Friday, August 14th, Health Center Staff Appreciation Day: Community Healthcare Systems has ordered t-shirts for our staff. If you see a staff member on Friday be sure to give them a big thank you!
Monday, August 17th, Healthcare for the Homeless day: CHCS staff are hosting a donation drive benefiting Daybreak Homeless Day Service Center. We will also be preparing care packages that include pill organizers and toiletries for homeless centers in Macon, Georgia. If you would like to make a donation, please contact the front desk staff of your office.
Where can I receive additional information?
- Visit the National Association of Community Health Center’s website specific to this yearly event: healthcenterweek.org
- How COVID-19 has affected homeless populations in America: https://endhomelessness.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Covid-Fact-Sheet-3.25.2020-2.pdf
- National Association of Community Health Centers: http://www.nachc.org/research-and-data/research-fact-sheets-and-infographics/
- Overview of Health Centers Today: https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/topics/federally-qualified-health-centers
- HRSA Fact Sheet: https://bphc.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bphc/about/healthcenterfactsheet.pdf