Some poorer communities suffer from a severe lack of health care facilities. For this reason. I believe that the Community and Migrant Health Centers Program has served the Nation well and must be allowed to continue the vital work begun by caring health facilities that provide needed service. The Federal grants provided through the Community Health Centers Program allow concerned public and private nonprofit entities to deliver primary health care services to "medically underserved" communities. Under the Health Services Amendments. migrant and seasonal farm workers receive similar health care. relieving the burden from local communities. There are 600 community and migrant health centers across the United States whose existence depends on Federal grant money. These primary care facilities provide outpatient services to over 6 million lowincome and disadvantaged patients each year. Few programs have made as significant a contribution to lowincome families as cost effectively. or in as high quality a manner. as have community health centers. Authorization for the community and migrant health centers expired at the end of fiscal year 1984. although appropriations have been provided for the past 2 years. It is vital that we pass H.R. 2418 to extend the authorizations for the Community and Migrant Health Centers Programs through fiscal year 1988. Mr. Chairman. in my own district. the Inland Empire Community Health Center [IECHC] provides crucial health services to our lowincome population.
Keywords matched
migrant Migrant