Press Releases
June 13, 2008: RURAL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER USES STATE FUNDS TO INCREASE DENTAL ACCESS
"MADISON. . . Another Wisconsin Community Health Center has turned state financial support into increased access to dental care for their region’s underserved children and families, as Scenic Bluffs Community Health Center this week officially unveiled their new, expanded dental facilities and staff, according to Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association..."
WISCONSIN HEALTH CENTERS TO OBSERVE COVER THE UNINSURED WEEK
" MADISON. . . Several of Wisconsin’s 17 Community Health Centers are joining the groundswell of support for Cover the Uninsured Week (April 27th – May 3rd) by encouraging and promoting enrollment into Wisconsin’s popular BadgerCare Plus program, which is successfully extending health insurance coverage to thousands of formerly uninsured children and families, according to Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association...”
DENTAL CONTRACT AUDIT SHOWS MORE WORK NEEDED TO IMPROVE DENTAL ACCESS
" MADISON. . . Friday’s release of the non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau’s (LAB) study of the state’s dental contracts with health maintenance organizations (HMOs) in southeast Wisconsin demonstrates that there is still much work to be done in assuring access to dental care particularly for patients who use Medicaid, according to Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association, which represents Wisconsin’s 17 Community Health Centers that provided dental care to 46,000 patients last year...”
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER DENTAL PATIENT NUMBERS CONTINUE TO GROW
" MADISON . . . Almost 49,000 men, women and children, many of whom were uninsured or covered by Medicaid were able to receive
comprehensive, quality, cost-effective dental care at one of Wisconsin’s Community Health Centers last year, almost double
the number of people seen just five years ago, according to Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Primary
Health Care Association...”
Community Health Care Centers Continue to Expand Reach, Treat More Patients
"Madison... Newly released data has revealed the 17 Wisconsin Community Health Centers once again expanded their statewide efforts to provide high quality, cost-effective health care services to unserved children and families in 2007, accoding to Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association (WPHCA)...”
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS CONTINUE TO EXPAND REACH, TREAT MORE PATIENTS
"MADISON… Newly released data has revealed that Wisconsin’s 17 Community Health Centers once again expanded their statewide efforts to provide high quality, cost-effective health care services to underserved children and families in 2007, according to Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association (WPHCA)..."
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS HONOR CONGRESSMAN DAVID OBEY
"Washington D.C. - The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) is presenting U.S. Representative David Obey (D-WI), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, with the 2008 “Distinguished Community Health Champion” award for his leadership on issues that impact more than 17 million people who rely on Community, Migrant, Public Housing and Homeless Health Centers for their health care. The top award is given only to members of Congress who have actively and continually demonstrated their commitment and support for health centers nationwide..."
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS SUPPORT HOSPITAL ASSESSMENT PLAN
"MADISON… The Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association (WPHCA) has joined the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) and several other organizations in encouraging the legislature to quickly endorse the Governor’s proposal to implement a hospital assessment for its ability to fill the current budget hole and draw down more federal funds, according to Stephanie Harrison, the Executive Director of WPHCA..."
THE LAKES COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER SETS GRAND OPENING FOR JANUARY 28TH
"Iron River, WI--Board and staff members from The Lakes Community Health Center are proud to announce the opening of Wisconsin’s 17th Community Health Center at 9 a.m. on Monday, January 28, 2008, at the new clinic in Iron River, Wisconsin, 7665 U.S. Highway 2..."
WISCONSIN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER GROWTH MIRRORS NATIONAL GOALS
"Madison – Wisconsin Community Health Centers are part of meeting a national growth goal recently praised by President Bush, announced Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association Executive Director Stephanie Harrison. “In January 2008, the seventeenth Wisconsin Community Health Center will open in Iron River, lowering hurdles to health care for residents from several counties in the northern part of the state. And, 13 of the existing 16 Health Centers have recently expanded or will expand in 2008, adding capacity for primary care and dental services.”
BUDGET PROVIDES BOOST TO COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS
"MADISON — The Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association (WPHCA) strongly supports the compromise conference committee budget, as it contains the first-ever increase to the state’s GPR-funded Community Health Center Grant Program, as well as millions more in dedicated funding for innovative dental access initiatives, according to Stephanie Harrison, the Executive Director of WPHCA."
WPHCA ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR COMPROMISE HOSPITAL ASSESSMENT
"MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association (WPHCA) has joined the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) and several other organizations in encouraging the legislature to endorse the compromise hospital assessment budget provision that will draw down more federal funding, increase Medicaid reimbursement rates and expand Badger Care, according to Stephanie Harrison, the Executive Director of WPHCA."
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS EXPAND SERVICE INTO RACINE & CHIPPEWA FALLS
MADISON… Increasing problems getting underinsured or uninsured people access to quality primary care in two underserved communities has spurred two of Wisconsin’s 17 Community Health Centers to recently expand their operations into Chippewa Falls and Racine, according to Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association."
NEW BAYFIELD HEALTH CENTER HELPS SPOTLIGHT STATE FUNDING NEEDS Original Grant Award Was Allocated to 12 Health Centers, But Soon Will Fund 17.
"MADISON. . . The news this week that Wisconsin will soon be home to a 17th Community Health Center, serving underinsured or uninsured residents of Northwestern Wisconsin, helps to prove just how important future funding levels for State Community Health Center Grant Program are to the overall success of each Health Center, according to Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association (WPHCA)."
Bayfield County Receives $600,000 Federal Grant to
Open New Community Health Center in Bayfield County WI
"BAYFIELD — Residents of northern Wisconsin will soon have affordable, convenient and high-quality access to primary health care in Bayfield County, thanks to a $600,000 grant from the federal government announced Monday. 'We are delighted to have been selected as the only site in Wisconsin to receive money to establish a new – the state’s 17th- Community Health Center,' said Pat Sheridan, president of the 12-member volunteer board that has been working at a fever pitch since spring of this year to complete the grant application for the Health Center."
WISCONSIN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS HOLD ANSWER TO HEALTH CARE CRI$I$
Report Highlights Huge Cost Savings, Impact on Local Economy
"Madison – Community Health Centers are a bright spot in the public health debate, providing high-quality care while controlling costs and pumping money and jobs into Wisconsin’s economy, said a new report released today."
STUDY REVEALS ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS
"MADISON — Wisconsin’s network of 16 Community Health Centers supported the state’s economy in 2006 to the tune of $240 million, while also supporting almost 2,400 full-time jobs, according to an economic impact analysis report released today by the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association (WPHCA), according to Stephanie Harrison, the Association’s Executive Director."
EFEDERAL GRANTS WILL ALLOW COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS TO EXPAND
"MADISON – Access Community Health Centers in Madison was recently awarded $223,000 in expanded medical capacity grant funding, as part of a $125 million federal grant award designed to increase access to quality health care for underinsured and uninsured families across America, according to Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association, which represents the state’s 16 Community Health Centers."
STUDY REVEALS ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS
"MADISON — Wisconsin’s network of 16 Community Health Centers supported the state’s economy in 2006 to the tune of $240 million, while also supporting almost 2,400 full-time jobs, according to an economic impact analysis report released today by the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association (WPHCA), according to Stephanie Harrison, the Association’s Executive Director."
PERRY RE-ELECTED WPHCA PRESIDENT
Priorities Include Expanding Dental Access Opportunities
"MADISON - Leaders of Wisconsin’s Community Health Centers recently re-elected Richard Perry, CEO of Community Health Systems, Inc. of Beloit, to serve as their President and Board Chair, according to Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association."
GRANT INCREASE, POLICY SHIFT WILL IMPROVE DENTAL ACCESS PROBLEM
"MADISON . . . A major obstacle that often prevents Wisconsin Health Centers from treating the growing number of people without private insurance and who are looking for a quality dental home includes the uphill battle to recruit dentists, according to Stephanie Harrison, the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association."
DECKER, SUDER LEAD BI-PARTISAN EFFORT TO INCREASE HEALTH CENTER FUNDING
"MADISON… The Joint Committee on Finance today voted 14-2 to increase funding for the state’s 16 Community Health Centers, in a truly bi-partisan effort led by Senator Russ Decker and Representative Scott Suder, according to Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association."
EXPANDED DENTAL ACCESS POSSIBLE THROUGH HEALTH CENTERS
"MADISON. . . Since 1999, Wisconsin Health Centers have doubled the number of dental patients they’ve seen. Without a needed increase in state grant support, they will not be able to meet the ongoing dental demand in the years to come, according to Stephanie Harrison, the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association."
HEALTH CENTERS USE STATE GRANT FUNDS TO INCREASE DENTAL ACCESS
MADISON… Funds provided through the state Community Health Center Grant Program have helped Health Centers become the most reliable option for delivering needed dental services to Wisconsin’s most vulnerable populations, according to Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association.
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS DELIVER DENTAL RESULTS
"MADISON—With more than 42,000 patients who have had almost 100,000 combined visits with our in-house dentists in 2006, Wisconsin’s network of Community Health Centers have proven to be the state’s preeminent provider of quality oral health care to low-income and uninsured families, according to Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association (WPHCA)."
HEALTH CENTER DENTAL DIRECTOR REGRETS TURNING AWAY HUNDREDS OF PATIENTS EACH MONTH DUE TO LACK OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES
"Madison – Matthew Richardson, DDS, and Dental Director at Beloit Area Community Health (BACHC) knows that for every patient he and his staff of hygienists and technicians treat each month, another 200 to 400 people with aching cavities or throbbing gums go without care because there just aren’t enough dental chairs or professionals available to them."
MILWAUKEE HEALTH CENTERS TO OBSERVE COVER THE UNINSURED WEEK
"MILWAUKEE. . . Supporters and advocates of Milwaukee’s four Community Health Centers are joining the groundswell of support for National Cover the Uninsured Week (CTUW). The campaign runs April 23 – 29th, and is designed to galvanize support and raise public awareness about the need for affordable and reliable health care coverage, according to Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association, which represents Wisconsin’s Health Centers."
New Study: 56 Million Americans Lack Access to Basic Medical Care Lack of Access Cuts Across Income, Race, Geography and Insurance Status
“This ground-breaking report shows the critical need in our state for the expansion of health care homes to meet the growing need,” said Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association. “In our state, there are 772,367 people who are medically disenfranchised. Providing more people with access to primary health care is critical, and further investment in Community Health Centers will ensure that millions more Americans can gain a health care home.”
GOVERNOR DOYLE RECOGNIZES VALUE AND ROLE OF HEALTH CENTERS IN HEALTH DELIVERY SYSTEM
MADISON . . . This morning, Governor Jim Doyle announced a comprehensive proposal to strengthen the infrastructure of Milwaukee, including a pledge for additional state support to Milwaukee’s four Health Centers to implement electronic health records, according to Stephanie Harrison, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association...
JFC VOTE WILL LEAD TO INCREASED ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE
MADISON. . . Hundreds, if not thousands of underserved and low-income people in Wisconsin should soon see additional, more attainable oral health care options, after the Joint Committee on Finance gave its approval today to a plan to allocate over $4 million in federal income augmentation funds for improved dental access...
APPROVE BADGERCARE PLUS PROPOSAL WITHOUT NEW HOSPITAL TAX
MADISON . . . “ While we are disappointed the Governor has again bypassed an opportunity to show his commitment to Wisconsin’s Community Health Centers by directing additional funds to the State Community Grant Center Program, we are encouraged by his comments and actions regarding the need to increase primary care and dental access to Wisconsin’s low-income and uninsured populations...