Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers (SJFMC) offered free medical and dental screenings for the community in celebration of 40 years of providing compassion, care and commitment to South Jersey families. SJFMC’s events were planned as a part of National Health Center Week (NHCW).
The national campaign ran August 13-19 with the goal of raising awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s Health Centers over the course of more than five decades. While there are countless reasons to celebrate America’s Health Centers, among the most important and unique is their long success in providing access to affordable, high-quality, cost-effective health care to medically vulnerable and underserved people throughout the United States.
Collectively, Community Health Centers serve more than 25 million Americans, a number that continues to grow along with the demand for affordable primary care. We have compiled a significant record of success that includes:
- Producing $24 billion in annual health system savings
- Reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and unnecessary visits to the emergency room
- Treating patients for a fraction of the average cost of one emergency room visit
- Maintaining patient satisfaction levels of nearly 100 percent
- Serving more than one in six Medicaid beneficiaries for less than two percent of the national Medicaid budget
Health Centers not only prevent illness and foster wellness in the most challenging populations, they produce innovative solutions to the most pressing health care issues in their communities. They reach beyond the walls of conventional medicine to address the factors that may cause sickness, such as lack of nutrition, mental illness, homelessness and opioid addiction. Because of their long record of success in innovation, managing health care costs and reducing chronic disease, Health Centers have a proud tradition of bipartisan support in Congress.
Here is a list of SJFMC National Health Center Week Events:
Monday, August 14: Health Screening Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Free Health Screenings at Hammonton, Salem, Atlantic City and Atlantic City Women’s and Children’s Pavilion
- Free Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway’s
Tuesday, August 15: Homeless Help Day, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
- SJFMC will provide health screenings, a delicious Italian lunch and a backpack full of necessities to the homeless at a Burlington County Shelter.
Thursday, August 17: Farmworker Day, 7 to 9 p.m.
- We will show our appreciation to farmworkers by catering a dinner with two adjacent farm camps in Salem County. Mobile Medic will also be on hand to give farmworkers care where they live.
Friday, August 18: Merle Pavilion Naming Dedication/Ribbon Cutting, 3 – 4 p.m.
- Our newly renovated Pleasantville Health Center will officially become the Merle Pavilion.
