Conroe, Texas, August 14, 2018 – At a reception this morning, Congressman Kevin Brady joined Lone Star Family Health Center (LSFHC) CEO, Karen Harwell, in recognizing the artwork of local students as part of the organization's National Health Center Week (NHCW) Celebration.
National Health Center Week takes place each August and is a national campaign to raise awareness about the mission of community health centers. This year, LSFHC is combining two of its programs, "Don't Miss the Bus" and "Access the Arts," for the celebration in an effort to bring attention to the back-to-school season and its relation to community health.
Each year, America's health centers serve more than 27 million people. More locally, LSFHC serves about 30,000 patients across its four locations; and 42 percent of those patients are children. Because so many health center patients live at or below the federal poverty limit, LSFHC knows that back-to-school can be a tough time for its patient families. Without vaccinations, children cannot attend school and, and as a result miss out on a variety of basic needs, including education, physical activity and meals.
Brady is a strong supporter of health centers and the cost effective model they use to bring healthcare to underserved communities. He works with LSFHC as well as state and national health center organizations to provide the necessary federal funding to keep health center doors open across the United States. For that reason, LSFHC wanted the opportunity to celebrate NHCW with Brady and the community he serves.
"Access the Arts" is a program designed to turn LSFHC's Conroe facility into a community space, and "Don't Miss the Bus" is an annual campaign to bring well child exams and vaccinations to at least 100 uninsured children free of charge. By combining these programs with NHCW, LSFHC hopes to utilize the artwork of local kids to make its space more welcoming to children, and to highlight the importance of healthcare of the community's children. Information about both programs can be found at lonestarfamily.org.
Founded in 2002, Lone Star Family Health Center is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, Federally Qualified Health Center with a mission to provide compassionate, affordable healthcare and prepare tomorrow's family medicine professionals. The health center's main location is at 605 South Conroe Medical Drive next to Conroe Regional Medical Center with satellite clinics in Spring and Willis, and the community of Grangerland. Appointments may be scheduled by calling 936.539.4004.