We provide free, quality health care to - Venice Family Clinic

ELIZABETH BENSON FORER, MSW, MPH
Chief Executive Officer, Venice Family Clinic
Dear friends,
The world of health care outside our doors is unsustainable. Costs are rising and
quality of care is declining. In 2006, more people live without health insurance and
many with insurance have limited access to care. Inside the doors of our seven sites,
we are dedicated to fulfilling our mission to provide free, quality health care to people
in need. We are also dedicated to preventing illness and educating patients to
take care of themselves.
We cannot treat disease alone. Wellness, prevention and disease management
are also essential for a healthy community. Visit the Simms/Mann Health and
Wellness Center on a Thursday evening and you will see parents, after working hard
all day, enthusiastically learning with their children about nutrition. And while the
kids go outside with a staff member to exercise, parents stay to learn about diabetes
and its prevention. See pregnant women in a yoga class and, at the Robert Levine
Family Health Center, visit a group of teens as they learn about measuring body fat
for a weight management program.
Staff and volunteers have created an environment that is central to the future of
the Clinic – one that helps patients help themselves. Our new strategies insure that
we will continue to spend our resources on the well being of our patients with an
emphasis on responding to community need, enhancing access and the quality of
our existing programs, while improving our financial planning and infrastructure.
As we begin the work of fulfilling our new strategic plan, we invite you to join us
in spirit by also making a healthy start with the basics: sleep 7–8 hours a night;
eat 5 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables daily; and exercise at least 30 minutes a day.
Thank you for your confidence in our ability to achieve our goals and your
investment in our vision to improve the health of the people we serve.
Be well.
Elizabeth Benson Forer, MSW, MPH
Chief Executive Officer