HOPEHEALTH LEADERS ADVOCATE FOR SC HEALTH CENTERS
Two of HopeHealth’s advocacy leaders represented South Carolina’s community health centers in Washington D.C. last week. Tiffany Straus, director of community relations and Kimberly O. Johnson, director of legislative affairs, accompanied representatives from the South Carolina Primary Health Care Association in meetings with nine South Carolina delegation representatives to discuss the importance of health centers and to bring attention to the health care needs of our state. This meeting was especially productive as it precedes National Health Center Week, Aug. 4-10.
“Our conversations at the Capitol were all positive and motivated us to hit the ground running as we approach National Health Center Week,” explained Johnson. “The goal is to host as many legislators and local elected officials as possible during that week in an effort to showcase the impact being made in their designated constituencies.”
The week is an annual celebration with the goal of raising awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s health centers over the past five decades. Health centers serve 28 million patients – a number that continues to grow along with the demand for affordable health care. In addition to their long history as health care homes, health centers produce innovative solutions to the most pressing health care issues in their communities and reach beyond the walls of conventional medicine to address the social determinants of health affecting special patient populations.
A host of NHCW events are scheduled throughout the HopeHealth service areas, including voter registration, health fairs, visits by state and local officials, patient appreciation events, free health screenings, and more. To learn more, or to sign up as a community health center advocate, visit hcadvocacy.org.
HopeHealth is one of 23 nonprofit, federally qualified health centers in South Carolina. We provide quality and affordable health care services to individuals in Florence, Clarendon, and Williamsburg Counties and infectious diseases services in Aiken, Clarendon, Florence, Orangeburg, and Williamsburg Counties. To become a patient, call 843-667-9414 or visit hope-health.org.
U.S. Sen. Tim Scott meets with Tiffany Straus, left, HopeHealth director of communications, and Kimberly O. Johnson, right, director of legislative affairs, during their recent visit to Washington D.C. with the South Carolina Primary Health Care Association. Scott is one of nine South Carolina delegation representatives the SCPHCA met with to discuss the importance of health centers and to bring attention to the health care needs of our state.
