CEO CORNER
Mike Maples, MD/CEO
CEO Column 01/01/2012
'Twas the Season?
The Holidays are great! Every day, we were reminded that there are people in our community in need (Season of Sharing stories in the Herald-Republic) and people open their hearts to them.
During this Holiday season, these same pages were also filled with stories of the depth and breadth of need in our community. On December 5, it was reported that nearly one in four residents of Yakima county lives in poverty (a 20% increase over the past ten years) and that over 45% of county residents qualify for and depend upon state funded assistance. On December 15, the Herald-Republic carried the headline that "Census Shows 1 in 2 People are Poor or Low-Income" in America. On December 17 we learned that Yakima County leads the state with 27.5% of people uninsured – nearly twice the statewide average – resulting in cost shifting that raises the insurance premium for families by more than $1000. And on December 22, we learned that joblessness in the county increased in November by 17% compared to October.
But on November 29, when community and migrant health centers rallied in Yakima to call attention to these persistent needs and what they are doing about it, the Herald-Republic labeled it a "stunt". If that's what it takes, so be it. Health centers play a large role, but are poorly understood. Health centers in Yakima County serve 2,400 people daily. For many of them, the health center is their lifeline. Their health center is their medical home, provides discounted care for low-income patients, and offers service regardless of insurance and ability to pay..
The number one factor that pushes families living with hardship into desperation, and causes more bankruptcy for people at all social levels, is a medical catastrophe. Health centers work to avert such crises.
In Washington State, twenty-six community and migrant health centers operate 165 service sites. They are in our most needy towns and inner-city neighborhoods. They provide comprehensive primary health services for nearly one in ten Washingtonians, and one in three of those in poverty in our state. Yakima County is fortunate to have three health centers working to improve lives and communities: Yakima Neighborhood Health Services, Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, and Community Health of Central Washington.
It is not only during the holiday season that people in our community live homeless, poor and hungry. And maintaining health is a year-round task.
Mike Maples, MD
CEO