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| Senator Moore receives public service award from Frances Anthes, Chair, Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and President & CEO, Family Health Center of Worcester |
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July 7, 2006 - The Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers presented its 2006 Public Service Award to Senator Richard T. Moore, Senate Chairman of the Legislature’s Committee on Health Care Financing at the League’s annual awards banquet at Boston’s Seaport Hotel on Friday, June 9th. The award was presented to Senator Moore by League Board Chair Frances M. Anthes, chair of the League and president and CEO of Family Health Center of Worcester and James W. Hunt, Jr. President and CEO of the League.
“Senator Moore’s work to bring more funding to the Worcester health centers and to community and school-based health centers across the state has made a difference for thousands of Massachusetts’ children and their families,” said Frances M. Anthes, chair of the League and president and CEO of Family Health Center of Worcester.
Senator Moore has been a long-time advocate for community health centers and school-based health centers. Among his recent achievements were sponsorship of a budget amendment for $10million for increased Medicaid rates for health centers and increased funding for school nurses and school health centers. He also ensured that community health centers and community hospitals would have a prominent role in improving access to safe, high quality care for the people of Massachusetts.
In a video commentary about Senator Moore that served as his introduction prior to receiving the award, Moore was praised by Senate President Robert E. Travaglini for his leadership in health care and, especially for his key role in passage of the landmark Massachusetts health care reform legislation.
“The single most significant piece of legislation that has come before this Legislature is the health care reform bill,” said President Travaglini. “Senator Moore was the driving force in the Senate that negotiated out all the details in the conference committee. His level of energy, his degree of knowledge and passion for the mission is unsurpassed and everybody knows it.”
Travaglini added that when the average citizen thinks about health care, their mind immediately goes to the larger medical institutions. Senator Moore understands that local community health centers a critical component of a quality health care system that is accessible and affordable. “Dick Moore understands their mission and goes way beyond rhetoric. He delivers.”
Moore received the 2006 Public Service Award. Recipients must demonstrate a commitment to the founding mission of community health centers, which is to ensure that any patient in need, regardless of their health status, language, culture or ability to pay, receives high quality comprehensive primary care services.
“Senator Moore’s longtime advocacy on behalf of the state’s community health centers and his leadership in passage of recent and historic state health care reform legislation made him an obvious choice for this honor,” said James W. Hunt, Jr., League president and CEO. “The senator’s understanding of the health system and the important role health centers play within it is unsurpassed.”
Among the features of the law, Senator Moore championed funding and training for health centers to gain essential technology for electronic medical records and computerized physician order entry systems that will reduce costs and prevent medical errors.
The League of Community Health Centers assists the state’s 53 community health centers by providing leadership in achieving their goals and promoting accessible, quality, community-responsive health care. Tri-River Family Health Center in Uxbridge, the Great Brook Valley Health Center, and the Family Health Center of Worcester serve residents of Senator Moore’s district. The 53 health centers provide services through 185 sites around the state in order to make primary care and prevention services accessible to patients.
To learn more about Senator Moore’s work in the Massachusetts Senate, log onto his web site at www.senatormoore.com
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