[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 183 (Friday, November 15, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1452]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         IN RECOGNITION OF SWOPE HEALTH'S FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY

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                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 15, 2019

  Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Swope Health 
and their fifty years of service to the Greater Kansas City metro area. 
Since they were founded in 1969, Swope Health has expanded to provide 
an extensive number of services to citizens of all backgrounds around 
the city and have become an indispensable part of the Fifth 
Congressional District of Missouri.
  Swope Health opened in 1969 as an integral part of President Lyndon 
Johnson's Model Cities Program. President Johnson created the program, 
as well as its offshoot, the Model Cities Health Corporations, as a 
precursor to the contemporary oversight seen in American cities. 
Championing this moment of opportunity, Swope Health took its mandate 
seriously. The first clinic opened by Swope Health operated in the 
basement of Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church with a total of 
twenty employees. These twenty valiant health care professionals 
successfully cared for over 2,000 patients in their first year. Today, 
the organization has grown exponentially, serving over 40,000 patients 
throughout western Missouri and eastern Kansas, and their spirit of 
exemplary service and tireless energy persists.
  Swope Health operates under an integrated healthcare model, which 
means they successfully provide a wide range of services for adults and 
children, men and women's health, and even dental care. The list of 
specific services they provide is extensive and impressive. To best 
accomplish this, Swope Health employs over 500 associates from a 
diverse range of professional backgrounds and careers. Moreover, their 
dedication to diversity and inclusion is readily apparent, not only in 
the range of employees, but also executives that are proud to represent 
Swope Health. Swope Health's executive leadership, from CEO Dave Barber 
to Community Engagement, Development & Outreach Coordinator Michelle 
Keller, reflect the best and brightest from a wide range of ethnic and 
social backgrounds, all of whom share a dedication to providing high 
quality, affordable, and accessible healthcare.
  Furthermore, Swope Health has taken its role as a community partner 
seriously by expanding its outpatient offerings around the city, 
opening safety-net clinics for low-income and uninsured Kansas Citians, 
and hosting fun, creative, and beneficial events throughout the year. 
From Swope Health Socks and Hops, which encouraged individuals to enjoy 
craft beer while supporting the area's homeless shelters, to hosting 
Kansas City's National Health Center Week, Swope Health always takes 
their place as a regional leader seriously.
  Madam Speaker, please join me and the Fifth Congressional District of 
Missouri in honoring Swope Health for their dedicated leadership, 
service, and care over the last fifty years.

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