[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 101 (Thursday, July 27, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1566]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          TRIBUTE TO GREATER PHILADELPHIA HEALTH ACTION, INC.

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                          HON. ROBERT A. BRADY

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 27, 2006

  Mr. BRADY  of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to 
Greater Philadelphia Health Action, Inc. (GPHA) as it joins community 
health centers nationwide in celebrating ``National Health Center 
Week,'' August 6-12.
  National Health Center Week highlights the importance of community 
health centers as a vital part of health care systems in medically 
underserved areas. ``Celebrating Patient Voice and Community Choice,'' 
is the theme of this year's campaign. The theme emphasizes the vital 
role that community boards of directors provide related to the delivery 
of health care to the community and determining the range of affordable 
services provided by the centers.
  GPHA was founded in 1970 by the late Carl Moore, a long-time 
community activist who came together with other community leaders to 
form GPHA, one of the first medical managed care programs in 
Philadelphia. It is a community-based, grass roots effort whose mission 
is to provide quality comprehensive primary health care, health 
education, human services and child development services to families 
and individuals throughout the Delaware Valley, regardless of a 
patient's ability to pay.
  The celebration of National Health Care Week also affords the 
opportunity to highlight the contributions of Mr. Moore and GPHA CEO 
Ron Heigler, recently elected chair of the Pennsylvania Primary Health 
Care Forum and his committed staff. All are to be congratulated for 
continuing to carry on Mr. Moore's vision of providing quality health 
care to the underserved.
  Today GPHA operates six full-service health centers and a behavioral 
health program, as well as the Woodland Academy Child Development 
Center in Southwest Philadelphia. The centers also offer specialized 
treatment and patient education related to asthma, hypertension, heart 
disease, diabetes and HIV/AIDS.
  There is no doubt that GPHA and the nation's community health centers 
fill a major void in our Nation's health care safety net.

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