[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 148 (Monday, September 23, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E949]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CELEBRATING THE 55TH ANNIVERSARY OF ALTAMED HEALTH SERVICES CORPORATION

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                         HON. LINDA T. SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 23, 2024

  Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate AltaMed Health 
Services Corporation on its 55th anniversary. As the nation's largest 
system of independent Federally Qualified Health Centers, AltaMed has 
been delivering quality health care and empowering communities for over 
half a century.
  AltaMed was founded in 1969 as the East LA Barrio Free Clinic, a 
small volunteer-run clinic funded solely by grants and donations. 
Today, AltaMed is California's premier community health network, 
encompassing more than 60 service delivery sites throughout Los Angeles 
and Orange Counties, and staffed by a culturally and linguistically 
competent workforce of more than 5,000 employees. It provides care to 
more than 500,000 individuals and their families through two million 
encounters annually, delivering the full continuum of services 
including pediatrics, comprehensive primary care, obstetrics and 
gynecology, dental care, behavioral health, youth services, HIV/AIDS 
services, and senior services through its operations as the largest 
Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) in California. To 
this day, AltaMed is committed to providing quality care without 
exception and working to address health disparities in our communities.
  In 1982, AltaMed began offering senior services by opening its first 
Adult Day Health Care Center in East Los Angeles, providing medical and 
rehabilitative care to older adults. In 1996, AltaMed made the 
transition to PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), a 
world-class managed-care program that uses a unique team-based approach 
to provide frail older adults with medical, social, nutritional, and 
rehabilitation services. This program makes it possible for those who 
meet nursing home eligibility requirements to remain at home, enjoying 
the comfort and reassurance of familiar surroundings while receiving 
the care they need. AltaMed currently serves over 3,000 older adults at 
12 PACE locations in Los Angeles and Orange County.
  With the passing of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, more Americans 
are insured today than ever before--including the 20 million uninsured 
Americans who gained access to comprehensive health coverage. AltaMed 
led widespread efforts through its service delivery sites to enroll and 
provide resources to newly eligible individuals, becoming Covered 
California's top certified enrollment entity for several years in a 
row, and earning a grant through the state's Navigator Program.
  AltaMed's commitment to addressing the social determinants of health 
that contribute to eighty percent of patient health outcomes and 
dedication to advancing social justice, equity, diversity, and 
inclusion is exemplified through its programming and service delivery 
approach. In 2017, it launched the AltaMed Institute for Health Equity 
which works to inform and support the elimination of health disparities 
that disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minorities through 
innovation, education, research, and community engagement.
  The following year, AltaMed launched a first-of-its-kind effort to 
make service sites serve as civic engagement hubs for patients and 
community. Through this civic engagement campaign, AltaMed supports 
local voter information, education, and mobilization efforts, provides 
community workshops on the citizenship process, and facilitates 
dialogue around public policy and advocacy.
  AltaMed was also on the frontlines when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 
2020, and sprang into action. Early on, it established mobile testing 
and evaluation sites throughout its communities to ensure patients 
could continue to access care. In 2021, leveraging the experience and 
success of its My Vote. My Health campaign, AltaMed launched a public 
health vaccination campaign called eAndale! qQue Esperas? reaching more 
than 4.45 million Latinos in the state. By the end of that ten-month 
campaign effort, it had helped vaccinate over 130,000 people against 
COVID-19 leading a coalition of Community Health Centers throughout the 
state.
  This is all to show how AltaMed has led the way to ensure their 
patients have access to culturally and linguistically concordant care 
while also addressing health care workforce challenges. In 2020, it 
welcomed the first cohort of AltaMed Family Medicine Residents to a new 
residency program. Two years later, it launched a licensed vocational 
nurse to registered nurse pathway program and other training programs, 
supporting over 160 nurses to advance their careers. And this year, 
AltaMed became the first clinic in Southern California to participate 
in the state's Licensed Physicians from Mexico Pilot Program (LPMPP), 
welcoming seven physicians who provide culturally and linguistically 
aligned care to Spanish speaking patients.
  On November 8, 2024, AltaMed will commemorate its 55th anniversary. 
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating AltaMed 
on this historic milestone as an exceptional health care leader, 
advancing quality care for Latino, multi-ethnic, and underserved 
communities in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, and helping other 
Community Health Centers throughout the state scale up their efforts to 
address health disparities through transformational change.

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