WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Roberts (R-KS) today was awarded the 2007 Distinguished Community Health Super Hero Award by the National Association of Community Health Centers and the Kansas Association of the Medically Underserved, for his support of legislation to renew funding for the Community Health Centers (CHC) program, which serves low-income and medically underserved communities.

"I have worked to give Community Health Centers a strong voice in the Senate and am honored to receive this award," Roberts said.

Roberts, who serves on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, is a key sponsor of legislation, S. 901, to provide resources to enhance the critical services such centers provide for Kansans each day, regardless of a patient’s insurance status or ability to pay. It was introduced by Senators Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT).

Community Health Centers are local, non-profit, community-owned health care providers serving low-income and medically underserved communities. Nationally, the network of community health centers has been in existence for over 40 years and provides high-quality, affordable primary care and preventive services, including dental, pharmaceutical, mental health and substance abuse services. In 2004, the Kansas health centers served over 62,000 individuals across the state. Kansas has 10 federally-funded Community Health Centers located in Kansas and two located in Missouri that serve Kansans. The following is a list of the Centers receiving federal funds:

• Flint Hills Comunity Health Center, Emporia
• Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Pittsburg
• GraceMed Health Clinic, Wichita
• Hunter Health Clinic, Wichita
• Salina Family Health Center
• Swope, Wyandotte, Quindaro Health Care Services, Kansas City
• Konza Prairie community Health Center, Junction City
• Wathena Medical Center, St. Joseph, MO
• Kansas Statewide Farmworker Health Program, Topeka
• Shawnee County Health Agency
• We Care Project, Great Bend
• United Methodist Mexican-American Ministries, Garden City

"This is a program that works," Roberts said. "Community health centers are the primary care safety net for so many Kansans and studies have shown that those who use this program are healthier and use emergency rooms less, which keeps costs lower for all Kansans. It is my hope that passage of this bill will allow this program to expand to other Kansas communities. "

For a photograph of the award presentation, please visit our website at: https://www.roberts.senate.gov/public/

Or call Sarah Little at 202-224-4774.