[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 526 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 526

 Designating April 20 through 26, 2008, as ``National Community Health 
  Aide, Community Health Practitioner, and Dental Health Aide Week''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 22, 2008

  Ms. Murkowski (for herself and Mr. Stevens) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Designating April 20 through 26, 2008, as ``National Community Health 
  Aide, Community Health Practitioner, and Dental Health Aide Week''.

Whereas Alaska experienced one of the most extreme tuberculosis epidemics in 
        recorded history in the 1950s;
Whereas the Community Health Aide Program in Alaska was created during the 
        1950s, in response to the unique health care needs of remote Alaskan 
        communities;
Whereas the Community Health Aide Program, which currently consists of 550 
        Community Health Aides and Community Health Practitioners and 40 Dental 
        Health Aides, serves 178 isolated Alaskan communities to provide 
        emergency, primary health care, and oral health care;
Whereas Community Health Aides, Community Health Practitioners, and Dental 
        Health Aides have proven their dedication to serving Alaskans and their 
        ability to work in some of the most challenging and diverse settings in 
        the world;
Whereas the Community Health Aide Program is the only program of its kind in the 
        United States, and other countries have modeled their delivery of rural 
        health care after this program;
Whereas the Community Health Aide Program has proven to be effective, efficient, 
        and essential in improving the health of the inhabitants of rural 
        Alaska;
Whereas the Community Health Aide Program is a patient's first contact within 
        the network of health care professionals in the Alaska Tribal Health 
        Care System and is one of the most effective means of delivering health 
        care services to Alaskan communities;
Whereas the Community Health Aide Program was created with a focus on 
        tuberculosis, meningitis, and other infectious diseases, but now 
        successfully cares for other common diseases such as diabetes and heart 
        disease;
Whereas the Community Health Aide Program also serves the oral health needs of 
        Alaskans, and is in the process of adding services to address the 
        behavioral health needs of rural Alaska; and
Whereas the Community Health Aide Program has successfully adapted over the last 
        50 years to the ever-evolving health care landscape of Alaskan 
        communities: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate designates April 20 through 26, 2008, as 
``National Community Health Aide, Community Health Practitioner, and 
Dental Health Aide Week''.
                                 <all>