Mike Maples of Community Health of Central WA Received National MVP Award in DC

Mike MaplesYAKIMA, WA – The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) has honored Mike Maples, Chief Executive Officer of Community Health of Central Washington with the Elizabeth K. Cooke Advocacy MVP Award. The award recognizes the dedication and energetic efforts by advocates to generate public and political support for the strength and expansion of America’s Health Centers.

The award was presented at the 39th Annual NACHC Policy and Issues Forum in Washington, D.C., an event attended by more than 2,000 health center leaders from around the country.

“Mike has been a passionate advocate on behalf of health centers and the movement would not be what it is today without his dedication, skilled leadership and tireless energy,” said Tom Van Coverden, President and CEO of NACHC. “He has been on Capitol Hill many times carrying the health center message, and rallying public support and funding in his state. We’re deeply appreciative of Mike’s commitment, hard work and leadership in advocacy.”

About Community Health of Central Washington
Community Health of Central Washington (CHCW) is a nonprofit organization providing high quality, affordable primary health care, dental and mental health services to area residents. CHCW provides services to more than 25,000 people annually through six locations, without regard to income and ability to pay. Headquartered in Yakima, CHCW centrally provides supervision, technical support, fiscal services, planning and human resources for the following locations and clinics: Central Washington Family Medicine, Central Washington Family Residency Program, Yakima Pediatrics, Community Health of Central Washington – Ellensburg, Ellensburg Dental Clinic, Naches Medical Clinic, and Pediatric Hospitalist Service. For more information, visit www.commhealthcw.org .

In addition, CHCW has recently launched two new programs: Senior and Residential Care (SRCare) and Senior Smiles. The programs are designed especially for meeting the healthcare needs of individuals in Ellensburg and Yakima Valley residing in long-term and skilled nursing facilities. Both programs are staffed by physicians, dentists, dental hygienists and medical staff who provide patients with primary medical and oral healthcare and, when needed, consultative care for short-term or transitional patients. SRCare and Senior Smiles are comprehensive, high quality preventive and primary care programs with a focus on medical and oral health care, serving senior and residential patients regardless of their ability to pay.

About National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC)
Founded in 1970, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance and expand access to quality, community-responsive health care for America’s medically underserved and uninsured. NACHC represents the nation’s network of over 1,200 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) which serve over 22 million people through over 9,000 sites located in all of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam.