[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16980]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     A TRIBUTE TO JWCH INSTITUTE ON THE OCCASION OF THE NON-PROFIT 
  ORGANIZATION'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF PROVIDING QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE 
          HEALTH CARE TO THE COUNTY'S UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 28, 2010

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the John 
Wesley Community Health Institute--also known as the JWCH Institute--on 
the occasion of the organization's 50th anniversary of providing 
quality and affordable health care to thousands of uninsured patients 
throughout Los Angeles.
   During my years in Congress, I have had the privilege of working 
closely with JWCH as well as the other community health centers in my 
district. I have seen firsthand the important role they play in 
improving the health of our communities, especially among Latinos, 
African Americans, the homeless and people with physical and mental 
health problems.
   As a safety-net provider, I am proud to say JWCH is a true leader in 
this arena.
   The Institute was established in 1960 by a group of concerned 
physicians at the John Wesley County Hospital, JWCH, as a vehicle for 
obtaining additional funds to support and augment patient care, 
education, and research. When the hospital was demolished in 1979, 
medical services and patient education took priority with a refined and 
expanded focus on community-based health education and social support 
programs.
   Today, the center's mission is being accomplished through a wide 
variety of programs and activities. In addition to providing primary 
medical care, the agency's services include: medical outreach and 
referrals for medical care; HIV services and drug treatment; health 
education; psychosocial assessment and intervention; family planning 
services; and research.
   Since its inception, JWCH has grown from a very small entity housed 
in a county building to a $21 million Federally Qualified Community 
Health Center. Last year, the private non-profit agency provided 84,191 
medical visits to the indigent at 13 locations, including clinics in 
Skid Row and Bell Gardens in the 34th Congressional District as well as 
South Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, El Monte, Lynwood and Norwalk.
   A recent highlight of this innovative growth, JWCH opened the Center 
for Community Health last year. Located at 522 S. San Pedro Street in 
Skid Row, the center is the first fully integrated system of care for 
homeless persons on the West Coast. The center offers a ``one-stop 
shop'' approach to addressing the complex health care needs of homeless 
individuals and families, which includes providing patients one 
complete medical record to better ensure a continuum of care.
   Madam Speaker, as JWCH prepares to mark its 50-year milestone at a 
special October 19 anniversary celebration at the Dorothy Chandler 
Pavilion in Downtown Los Angeles in the 34th Congressional District, I 
ask my colleagues to please join the Los Angeles community and me in 
recognizing JWCH for its steadfast commitment to strengthening the 
safety-net for the county's medically underserved. I also commend 
JWCH's Board Chair, Cesar Portillo, its Chief Executive Officer, Al 
Ballesteros and all of the many dedicated people who make this health 
care organization the safety net that it is today for thousands of Los 
Angeles County residents.
   JWCH provides critical resources and services that enable our 
community members--including the most hard-to-reach and at-risk 
patients--to stay healthy and strong, and I wish everyone involved with 
this fine organization many more years of continued success.

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