[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 150 (Tuesday, November 19, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO THE L.A. FREE CLINIC

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 19, 2002

  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Los 
Angeles Free Clinic, L.A. Free Clinic, a tremendous and vital health 
care resource which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. The 
L.A. Free Clinic has become a true beacon of light in our ever 
uncertain health care system in Los Angeles. It is synonymous with 
quality and accessible health care for the homeless, the uninsured and 
under-insured, the working poor and runaway and high-risk youth.
  The L.A. Free Clinic came into being during the summer of 1967 when a 
small group of volunteers opened a storefront clinic on Fairfax Avenue 
to serve the thousands of ``flower children'' who were living in the 
streets and parks that summer. They crowded the clinic with an array of 
health issues, and the crowds have been coming ever since. Today, the 
clinic is a sophisticated but accessible string of three separate sites 
serving 100,000 patients annually. As the longest continuously running 
free clinic in our Nation, the L.A. Free Clinic serves as a remarkable 
model.
  Its mission is to serve as a community-based clinic which identifies 
the health care and social service needs of under-served populations. 
It develops comprehensive resources and quality programs to meet those 
needs and provides the services free of charge and free of judgement in 
a caring environment.
  The clinic's most important mission is to provide health care to 
those who can not or will not receive care elsewhere. The L.A. Free 
Clinic believes that health and human services are a right and not a 
privilege.
  The clinic offers a wide range of primary care and specialty care for 
the entire family. In addition, the clinic houses broad and important 
social services to treat the whole patient. It has a domestic violence 
advocate available to recognize and work with patients who are victims 
of domestic violence. There is also a legal clinic on site to assist 
with a variety of issues such as immigration and child custody. There 
are case managers and mental health professionals at the ready to treat 
any number of concerns that patients may present when they come to the 
clinic.
  Part of what makes the L.A. Free Clinic so successful is its more 
than 500 volunteers who eagerly answer phones, translate diagnoses, 
speak at health fairs and organize fundraisers. The clinic's board is 
equally dedicated and impressive, still represented by some original 
founders. The L.A. Free Clinic is also lucky to have a number of 
support organizations without which it could not function. They include 
Friends of the L.A. Free Clinic, New Friends of the L.A. Free Clinic 
and L.A. Free Clinic Auxiliary.
  It has been my distinct privilege to represent and support the L.A. 
Free Clinic for much of its existence. The residents of Los Angeles and 
our health care system owe the L.A. Free Clinic a great debt of 
gratitude and we will continue to rely on its superb service and 
caring. We are looking forward to the next 35 years to come.
  I ask all of my colleagues to join me in wishing the L.A. Free Clinic 
a very heartfelt and happy 35th anniversary.

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