[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 160 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2392]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        IN HONOR OF SUSAN STRONG

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT T. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 13, 1997

  Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise today in tribute to Ms. 
Susan Strong, former executive director of the Center for AIDS 
Research, Education and Services [CARES].
  Located in Sacramento, CA, CARES provides a unique mix of out-
patient, state-of-the-art medical care, mental health counseling, 
health education and case management services, and psychiatric services 
to persons living with HIV and AIDS.
  In 1988, it took a tremendous collaborative effort among northern 
California's major public and private health care entities to establish 
the Center for AIDS Research, Education and Services as a community-
based clinic.
  Under the leadership of Susan Strong, CARES grew to become a major 
regional HIV/AIDS non-profit clinic in northern and central California. 
Its growth is a testament to the professional abilities of its former 
executive director.
  The dream of establishing a centralized location in the downtown 
Sacramento area to provide quality health service while coordinating 
with other AIDS service providers was fully realized under the 
stewardship of Susan Strong.
  Since the founding of CARES, the epidemic of HIV and AIDS has changed 
dramatically, impacting more women of color, a community whose special 
needs are varied and great. Under the guidance of Susan Strong, CARES 
established a Women's Clinic to meet these special concerns.
  As executive director, Ms. Strong steered CARES to ensure that the 
depth and breadth of its services continually expanded and strengthened 
while serving an ever-increasing and demanding client case load.
  It is through Susan Strong's inspiration, dedication, and hard work 
at CARES that the Sacramento area and the entire northern California 
region has benefited in the successful operation of these programs to 
care for those suffering from HIV and AIDS.
  Although Ms. Strong departed from her position as CARES executive 
director last month, the foundation of compassionate care which she 
laid so well will carry-on for years to come.
  Since its founding, CARES has served approximately 3,000 infected 
people and maintains an active caseload of approximately 1,200 clients 
at this time.
  These patients rely upon the extraordinary specialized medical 
expertise which CARES provides. Without the steady guidance of Susan 
Strong, CARES would not be the great success story that it is today.
  Mr. Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join with me in saluting 
the remarkable work of Susan Strong, a great leader in the area of 
coummunity-based HIV and AIDS health care in Sacramento. I am confident 
that her selfless endeavors at CARES will endure well into Sacramento's 
future.

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