National Health Center Week
National Health Center Week will take place this year from August 8 to August 14. This is an annual celebration with the goal of raising awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s health centers over the past five decades. This year’s theme is “The Chemistry for Strong Communities.”
It is especially important to celebrate National Health Center Week this year because of their efforts during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. From the very beginning of the crisis, Community Health Centers began finding innovative ways to provide preventative and primary care to their patients.
About Community Health Centers
Community Health Centers provide comprehensive care to 30 million patients at 11,000 service delivery sites in every state and territory in the United States. The important work they do has been estimated to save the health care system more than $24 billion annually in reduced emergency, hospital, and specialty care costs.
Even when there is not a global pandemic, Community Health Centers serve as the beacon of strength, service, and care in their communities. In moments of pain and loss, they offer support and love. In moments of triumph, they offer hope and a vision for the future. The point of this week is to come together despite our differences and celebrate the roles Community Health Centers play in our lives.
Get Involved
Visit HealthCenterWeek.org to look up events near you! There are events happening in a majority states almost every day this week. However, some events may have not been submitted to the website, so we encourage you to visit your local health center’s website and Facebook page to see what kind of events are scheduled. Examples of events you can participate in this week include:
- In person or virtual tours of your local health center to learn more about the center and what kind of services they offer. This is a great idea especially if you haven’t visited your local health center before or are unaware of when you can utilize their offerings.
- Many health centers are hosting events focusing on health and wellness including: free virtual or in-person fitness classes, Future Clinicians Workshops for children who are interested in pursuing a career field in medicine, discounted sports physicals during their themed day “Children’s Health Day”, virtual and in-person walks or runs, and even contests with prizes!
To learn more, click here!
