LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending Hudson River HealthCare, Inc. upon the
occasion of celebrating National Health Center Week

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commend those
organizations which work to serve the health care needs of citizens of
the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
Hudson River HealthCare, Inc. upon the occasion of celebrating National
Health Center Week on Thursday, August 6, 2009, at the Wallkill Valley
Health Center in Walden, New York; and
WHEREAS, The theme for this year's recognition is "Celebrating Ameri-
ca's Health Centers: Where Access and Quality Care Begin"; and
WHEREAS, The second week of August each year is dedicated to recogniz-
ing the service and contributions of Community, Migrant, Homeless and
Public Housing Health Centers in providing access to affordable, high
quality, cost-effective health care to the medically vulnerable and
underserved people in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Hudson River HealthCare's mission is to increase access to
primary and preventive health care and to improve the health status of
its community, especially for the underserved and at risk population;
and
WHEREAS, Hudson River HealthCare provides the highest quality compre-
hensive primary, preventive, and behavioral health services to all those
who seek it; it is a network of 16 community health centers located in
Peekskill, Beacon, Poughkeepsie, Amenia, Dover Plains, Pine Plains, New
Paltz, Goshen, Haverstraw, Greenport, Walden, Yonkers and Monticello;
and
WHEREAS, Today, Hudson River HealthCare serves over 42,000 patients
throughout the Hudson Valley through well over 183,000 health center
visits annually in nine counties; for 34 years, Hudson River HealthCare
has provided innovative programs and services designed to meet the needs
of at risk populations throughout New York State's Hudson Valley; and
WHEREAS, In the early 1970s a group of local residents and religious
leaders addressed the lack of appropriate health services in their
community; in particular, a group of four women, fondly referred to as
Hudson River HealthCare's founding mothers, spearheaded the efforts and
have remained committed to the organization since its inception; the
Peekskill Area Ambulatory Health Center, as it was then named, official-
ly opened its doors in July of 1975; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body recognizes the vital importance of
Hudson River HealthCare. Inc. in providing excellence in health care
through prevention, education and treatment, and its evident commitment
to this mission; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Hudson River HealthCare, Inc. upon the occasion of celebrating
National Health Center Week; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Anne Kauffman Nolon, President and CEO, Hudson River Health-
Care, Inc.