Celebrating National Health Center Week 2023: Honoring Patients, Stakeholders, and Staff

We were thrilled to join the nation in celebrating National Health Center Week this past week of August 6 – 12. This annual event provides an opportunity for us to recognize and appreciate the invaluable contributions of our patients, stakeholders, and dedicated staff who make our community a healthier and happier place.

Throughout the week, Lynn Community Health Center planned a series of engaging and informative events designed to showcase the vital role health centers play in providing accessible and quality healthcare to all members of our community. These events will highlight the importance of health equity, patient-centered care, and the collaborative efforts of all those involved in delivering comprehensive healthcare services.

We extend a special thank you to our patients, whose trust and commitment drive us to continuously improve and enhance our services. It is your stories and journeys that inspire us to create a healthier future for Lynn and beyond.

We also express our gratitude to our stakeholders, whose unwavering support and partnerships enable us to expand our outreach and impact. Together, we strive to address the unique healthcare needs of our diverse community and foster an environment of inclusivity and wellness. We were thrilled to gather on Wednesday and celebrate the opening of our Pharmacy!

Lastly, we commend our dedicated staff members who work tirelessly to provide compassionate care and ensure that every patient receives the attention and treatment they deserve. Their dedication to our mission is what makes Lynn Community Health Center a cornerstone of our community’s well-being.

 Please join us as we celebrate National Health Center Week and recognize the vital role of healthcare centers in building healthier communities!

Learn more about Community Health Centers across America.

You can read the Mayoral Proclamation text here:

National Health Center Week, 2023

Whereas: For over 50 years, Community Health Centers have provided high-quality, affordable, comprehensive primary and preventive health care in our nation’s medically underserved communities, delivering value to, and having a significant impact on America’s health care system.

Whereas: As the country’s largest primary care network, Community Health Centers are the health care home for over 30 million Americans in over 14,000 communities across the nation. One in every eleven people in the United States gets their care at a Community Health Center.

Whereas: Community Health Centers serve as beacons of essential resources and support in the face of disasters and pandemics and will continue to respond quickly to care for America’s most vulnerable and underserved communities. Community Health Centers have administered over 22 million COVID-19 tests and over 24 million vaccines to date.

Whereas: Every day, Community Health Centers develop new approaches to integrating a wide range of services beyond primary care, including oral health, vision, behavioral health, and pharmacy services, to meet the needs and challenges of their communities. Health centers have more than doubled their behavioral health workforce in the last decade to meet Americans’ growing need for behavioral health services.

Whereas: Lynn Community Health Center serves 35% of Lynn residents and 40,000 patients a year, across a range of services that include primary and behavioral health care; school-based health care; OB/GYN, dental and eye care; insurance enrollment program; urgent care; substance use disorder, immigration, and refugee programs; prison re-entry, homelessness, and HIV/AIDS programs; food security; respite care; social services and pharmacy services.

Whereas: To deliver these services, which average 235,000 patient visits per year, Lynn Community Health Center employs 650 people that represent a cross-section of racial and ethnic backgrounds that reflect their patients and half call Lynn their home.

Whereas: Lynn Community Health Center uses an innovative, integrated health care model, which is designed to respect each patient’s unique needs. It encompasses the co-location of primary care and behavioral health services, co-management of patients by medical and behavioral health providers through a “shared care” model, and utilization of a shared electronic health record.

Whereas: The Community Health Center model continues to prove an effective means of overcoming barriers to healthcare access, including geography, income, and insurance status – improving health outcomes and reducing healthcare system costs.

Whereas: Community Health Centers reduce overall costs of care by helping manage patients’ chronic conditions, which keeps them out of more expensive healthcare settings like hospital emergency rooms.

Whereas: National Health Center Week offers the opportunity to celebrate dedicated staff, board members, patients, and all those responsible for their continued success and growth since the first health centers opened their doors more than 50 years ago.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jared Nicholson, Mayor of the City of Lynn, do hereby proclaim August 6-12, 2023, as National Health Center Week. I encourage all Lynners to take part in this week by celebrating the important work and role Lynn Community Health Center plays in our community.