Governor Stein Proclaims National Health Center Week

National Health Center Week

2025

By The Governor Of The State Of North Carolina

A Proclamation

Whereas, for 60 years, community health centers have provided high-quality, affordable, and comprehensive primary and preventative care in our nation's rural and underserved communities; and

Whereas, in North Carolina, 43 community health center organizations offer care at over 600 clinical locations in 92 counties across the state and care for more than 762,000 unique patients each year, most of whom are uninsured or receive Medicaid or Medicare; and

Whereas, community health centers, which, by mission, are located in areas with historically underserved or marginalized populations, work to address and reduce health disparities by offering accessible, affordable, high-quality care for America's most vulnerable communities; and

Whereas, community health centers serve as providers of integrated health care and wraparound services, including dedicated enrollment assisters to help the newly eligible population apply for Medicaid under the state’s 2023 expansion of coverage; and

Whereas, community health centers are constantly developing new approaches to medical service to meet the needs of their communities by treating patients for a fraction of the average cost of one emergency room visit, lowering the cost of children's primary care by as much as 35 percent and by 29 percent for each Medicaid patient; and

Whereas, community health centers in North Carolina employ more than 5,100 full-time staff, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified nurse midwives, who work as part of multi-disciplinary clinical teams designed to treat the whole patient; and

Whereas, North Carolina's community health centers play a vital role in our state's health care safety net by providing a patient-centered medical home that helps rural and underserved patients maintain access to affordable care and manage chronic conditions, which helps to ease the strain on the health care system and lower overall costs; and

Whereas, the State of North Carolina is proud to celebrate National Health Center Week and its 2025 theme – Celebrating 60 Years of Progress;

Now, Therefore, I, Josh Stein, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim August 3 – 9, 2025, as “National Health Center Week” in North Carolina and commend its observance to all citizens.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this thirtieth day of July in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-fifth and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.