[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 45 (Tuesday, April 11, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     THE FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS HEALTHCARE 
                               FOUNDATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 11, 2000

  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join me in 
honoring the 15th anniversary of the Southern Illinois Healthcare 
Foundation.
  In the early 1980's, a group of community residents became concerned 
about the lack of healthcare services in southern Illinois. At that 
time, there were very few physicians in the area. Residents of the 
region suffered from a lack of adequate healthcare services. Infant 
mortality rates and rates of other health related concerns were on the 
rise. Most physicians in the region expressed their reluctance to 
participate in federal programs to assist the poor. Several communities 
in the area were also federally designated as under served and a health 
care professional shortage was also recognized.
  In 1983, this concerned group of citizens formed an not-for-profit 
organization to promote health care concerns. The original charter 
members of the corporation included Harvey Jones Jr., Francis 
Touchette, Bob Bergman, Callie Mobley, Don Sminchak, Virginia ``Betty'' 
Knuckles, Kathleen Touchette, Dr. Mays Maxwell and Rev. Father Jerry 
Wirth. I was also proud to also be part of that original committee. The 
Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation opened it's first center in one 
side of the public health department building at 6000 Bond Avenue in 
Centreville, Illinois on January 7, 1985.
  With assistance of an initial Federal grant, the center began it's 
operations in the Centreville facility, providing health care services 
to the surrounding communities in the area. The foundation's services 
expanded in the 90's with facilities opening in East St. Louis, 
Washington Park and Brooklyn, Illinois. In 1913, the foundation 
partnered with Touchette Regional Hospital in Centreville and with the 
East Side Health District to expand it's reach further into the area. I 
was happy to assist the center procure various grants to improve 
services to reduce infant mortality rates in the area and in 1997 the 
foundation opened a facility in Alton, Illinois. School based clinics 
also operate in East St. Louis and Cahokia, Illinois.
  In recognition for it's work to reduce the amount of low-birth weight 
babies, the Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation and Touchette 
Regional Hospital was one of the first winners of the ``Models that 
Work'' program, as sponsored by the National Committee For Quality 
Healthcare. Other awards and recognition for the system include the 
American Hospital Association and the Baxter Allegiance Foundation. The 
Baxter Award recognized the system's work with the various foundation 
communities. The foundation was also a finalist in the Premier Cares 
Award sponsored by Premier Healthcare.
  Just last year, the foundation further expanded it's services by 
opening a second site in Madison County in Bethalto, Illinois. Private 
grants have also been awarded to the Southern Illinois Foundation from 
the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to allow them to address Medicaid Managed 
Care issues and provide funds for planning and study for healthcare 
issues.
  Locally, the foundation has also been presented the Dr. Martin Luther 
King Jr. Award from the Kimmel Leadership Center. Dr. Bob Klutts is the 
chief executive officer and has been the executive with the foundation 
since 1988.
  Operations in all of the Foundation Health center sites are now well 
established. The foundation system has grown from an initial 8,678 
patient visits in 1988 to currently over 85,000 patient visits. In 
addition to the clinic sites they operate in several communities, they 
also operate three Quick Care sites with one site devoted to the needs 
of mother and child care and also a site directed to the needs of 
adults. It is one of the strongest Healthcare networks operating in 
Illinois today.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the 
anniversary and service of the Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation.

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