Valley clinic celebrates National Health Center Week

Mat-Su Health Services joins the rest of America’s more than 1,200 community health centers in kicking off National Health Center Week — Aug. 9-15.

The theme of the week, “Where Access and Quality Care Begin,” highlights health centers’ roles as “health care homes” for some 18 million people in America, providing primary and preventive care and a range of services. In the past year Mat-Su Health Services had nearly 4,000 patient visits in our clinic — a number that is increasing due to layoffs and cutbacks during the economic downturn. Health center patients pay on an income-based sliding fee scale; no one is turned away, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. We accept Medicaid, Medicare, Denali Kid Care and most private insurance.

Mat-Su Health Services, a private not-for-profit agency, has been serving communities in the Mat-Su Valley for 32 years as a community mental health center. In October of 2005 we opened a primary care clinic. We have three excellent medical providers as well as support staff. Our patient satisfaction surveys have demonstrated the individuals we serve are highly satisfied with the quality of their services.

“Everyone should have the choice of a Community Health Center as their health care home,” said Maryalice Larson, CEO of Mat-Su Health Services. “We provide high-quality services that emphasize primary care and wellness so that families can stay healthy and out of hospitals. National Health Center Week is a time to spread the message that we need to invest in an accessible and affordable community health system that can reduce disparities, improves health and achieves cost savings.”

The spotlight comes at a time when the American Recovery or Reinvestment Act, or the federal economic stimulus bill, has made increased access to care possible. Community Health Centers were among the first recipients of stimulus funding; $338 million in Increased Demand for Services grants that will enable health centers to provide quality care to an additional 2.1 million patients over the next two years. Nearly 80,000 Alaskans currently use community health centers as their medical home.

Long-term, health centers are envisioned as a major part of the solution for providing care to the 60 million people in the United States who are — according to a report by the National Association of Community Health Centers — medically disenfranchised. A health center plan called ACCESS for All America has the goal of preserving, strengthening and expanding health centers, ultimately providing affordable, high-quality care to all medically underserved.

Events marking National Health Center Week 2009 include health fairs, media events and visits by local, state and national leaders to health centers in their communities.

During National Health Center Week we invite you to visit our center. Please contact us for a personalized tour and we will introduce you to the fine staff and services we offer. We are located at 1363 West Spruce Ave., in Wasilla.

Please contact us at 376-2411, or go to www.healthcenterweek.org.

Maryalice Larson chief executive officer of Mat-Su Health Services.