CHRISTOPHER, IL, Christopher Rural Health Planning Corp. (CRHPC) joins the National Association of Community Health Centers and over 1,500 Community Health Centers (CHCs)
across the country to celebrate National Health Center Week (August 02-08) and recognize the vital role health centers play in providing affordable, effective, comprehensive primary care to more than 52 million Americans, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. This year,
CRHPC celebrates how health centers use innovation to reach more patients and improve
outcomes.

For 47 years, CRHPC has provided Family Medicine, Behavioral Health and various additional
services to Southern Illinois. The organization, a federally qualified health center with 16 clinics
across the region, operates with the mission of providing accessible, comprehensive, quality
health care to all within its service area.

“All of us at CRHPC are proud to celebrate National Health Center Week and the vital
role Community Health Centers play in expanding access to quality, affordable care, says
CRHPC CEO Kim Mitroka. “Across the country, more than 330,000 CHC staff provide care to
more than 52 million people, helping patients become healthier, more informed, and better
equipped to improve their long-term well-being. National Health Center Week gives us an
opportunity to recognize the dedicated teams who make community-based care possible every
day. At CRHPC, we are committed to meeting patients where they are, helping them manage
chronic conditions, and ensuring that quality health care remains within reach for the
communities we serve”. Mitroka adds that Community Health Centers continue to develop better
ways to partner with patients in managing hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and other
chronic conditions, and at CRHPC, their goal is to ensure patients receive the care they need in a
way that is accessible, affordable, and centered on their health.

Health centers don’t just expand access. They improve outcomes and save money. For just 1% of
national health care spending, CHCs deliver primary care to 14% of the U.S. population and save
the health care system billions of dollars each year by preventing costly hospital visits. CRHPC
is proud to be part of this critical mission.
CRHPC has an eventful week planned across its clinics, with staff and patient appreciation
events, school physical clinics, food drives, depression screenings, free swim days, an open
house, and more.