SENATE RESOLUTION

                            8614

By Senators Thibaudeau, Deccio, Spanel, Johnson, Winsley, Costa, Eide, Fairley, Sheldon, B., Sheldon, T., Prentice, Shin, Jacobsen, Gardner, Patterson, Fraser, Regala, Franklin, Brown, Hargrove, Kohl-Welles, Roach, Haugen, Rasmussen and McAuliffe

     WHEREAS, There are twenty-two nonprofit community and migrant health centers in Washington with clinics located in seventy-seven communities serving over 254,606 people; over 302,029 medical and 331,593 dental visits are provided to uninsured individuals. The health centers operate more than seventy-seven medical centers and more than forty-eight dental clinics across the state, from the northeast corner to Pacific coast towns; and

     WHEREAS, All of the health centers provide access to quality services while removing economic, cultural, geographic, and other barriers to adequate health care; and

     WHEREAS, All community and migrant health centers serve uninsured clients on a sliding fee scale that reflects a person's ability to pay for services; and

     WHEREAS, Health centers are governed by community-based boards of directors that

represent the patients they serve; and

     WHEREAS, Health centers in Washington help control costs for health services by reducing inappropriate use of emergency room services and help lower hospital admissions while providing higher childhood immunizations and health education; and

     WHEREAS, The services of all Washington community health centers contribute to the safety net and the community, which helps many families;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate of the state of Washington commend and honor the commitment and contributions of health centers to the economic and physical health of the community; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the community and migrant health centers of Washington State.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 8614,

adopted by the Senate February 9, 2001.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate