La Red hosts National Health Center Week events through Aug. 8
La Red Health Center is celebrating National Health Center Week with events taking place through Friday, Aug. 8.
The annual event highlights the essential role community health centers play in improving public health and providing Americans equal opportunity to access critical healthcare services. These centers represent the nation’s largest primary care network, serving 32.5 million patients nationwide. This year’s celebration, launched by the National Association of Community Health Centers, focuses on the theme: America’s Health Centers Celebrating 60 Years of Improving Our Nation’s Health.
La Red Health Center is hosting special events through Friday, Aug. 8, in celebration of National Health Center Week, highlighting its commitment to patient care, community outreach, and partnerships.
La Red’s Mobile Health Unit will provide free blood pressure, glucose and mental health screenings Monday, Aug. 4, at the CHEER Center in Greenwood. The Sussex Family YMCA in Rehoboth Beach will share resources on diabetes prevention.
In celebration of Patient Appreciation Day, Tuesday, Aug. 5, pediatric patients will help create a Rock Garden of Hope with support from Freeman Arts Pavilion. Read Aloud Delaware will host a literacy corner and promote the LENA Start program. Lunch will be provided.
La Red’s Behavioral Health Team will distribute essential care packages Wednesday, Aug. 6, to individuals experiencing homelessness in Georgetown.
Events for Partner Appreciation Day, Thursday, Aug. 7, will honor key healthcare collaborators including Bayhealth, Beebe, Children & Families First, WIC, and others at a special luncheon and impact report presentation.
La Red will conclude the week Friday, Aug. 8, with its Annual Employee Appreciation Day, recognizing staff with an afternoon of food, games and prizes at the Georgetown center.
Delaware has three community health centers known as federally qualified health centers. Together, they provide healthcare services to about 41,000 Delaware residents, 78% of whom are either uninsured or receive Medicaid assistance. FQHCs save lives and healthcare costs by making health care affordable and available to everyone regardless of insurance status. It’s estimated that FQHCs save Medicaid and Medicare $25 billion annually.
Now, community health centers are racing against a September deadline as their federal funding expires, creating an unprecedented financial strain. Anticipated Medicaid cuts are also projected to cost FQHCs $7 billion annually in higher uncompensated care costs and jeopardize coverage for 4 million patients nationwide. Sussex County is already considered a medically underserved area, with a shortage of providers to care for the current population. Funding for FQHCs is critical for everyone’s access to healthcare in Sussex County. Without preventative care, many FQHC patients have no choice but to turn to hospital emergency rooms for care.
“Community health centers like La Red are the backbone of public health,” said Rachel Hersh, La Red Health Center CEO. “In Sussex County, nearly 1 in 11 adults — about 48,000 people between the ages of 18 and 64 — are uninsured. Each year, La Red provides care to nearly 14,000 patients, many of whom are the essential workers who power our economy. They count on us for their healthcare, and our community counts on them. Now more than ever, we need to invest in health centers like La Red and in the workforce that keeps Sussex County thriving.”
La Red, a federally qualified health center, offers primary health care, pediatrics, women’s health services and behavioral health services at its three locations in Milford, Seaford and Georgetown. La Red also offers dental services at its Milford and Georgetown locations. For more information about La Red Health Center, go to laredhealthcenter.org.
