(Los Angeles, CA) — Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, Inc. (APHCV) had the pleasure of hosting Congresswoman Diane Watson, who represents the 33rd Congressional District that includes the areas of Hollywood, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Mid-Wilshire, Koreatown, and Culver City. This visit is a part of National Community Health Centers Week organized by the National Association of Community Health Centers recognizing the service and contributions of Community Health Centers such as APHCV in providing access to affordable, high quality, cost-effective health care to medically vulnerable and underserved people in the United States. Dr. Raymond Ho, pediatrician at APHCV, shared with Congresswoman Watson his concerns about the growing obesity issue among Asian and Latino children he sees. “About 35% of our pediatric patients are obese, mostly Pilipino and Latino children. Education about diet and nutrition is a key,” said Dr. Ho. “Community Health Centers like Asian Pacific Health Care Venture are at the forefront,” said Representative Watson, “They are on the right track helping people to maintain healthy behaviors.”

A specific program that was highlighted during her visit was “Reach Out and Read”, a nationwide non-profit early literacy program based in health centers and hospitals. A number of studies show a strong correlation between low literacy and poor health status. At every check-up, pediatricians give advice and guidance to the parents on reading aloud to their young children, and give them an age-appropriate book to take home. Reach Out and Read has gained broad bipartisan support in Congress, and Congresswoman Watson has been an advocate in Washington for the program’s federal funding. “Congresswoman Watson has been a terrific champion for Reach Out and Read,” said Debbie Mackay, ROR Regional Coordinator for Los Angeles County. “We’re grateful for her strong leadership on behalf of young children in California and across the country.” APHCV has participated in this program since 2004 and has distributed more than 1,000 books to children between the ages of 0 to 5. Following a brief tour of the health center, Congresswoman Watson, a former elementary school teacher, school psychologist, and Los Angeles Unified School District Board Member, captivated an audience of 15 children engaging them as she read a children’s book.

Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, Inc. (www.aphcv.org) located in Hollywood and serving the greater Los Angeles area, is a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides culturally competent health education and primary care services to 11,000 patients annually, more than 75% of whom are uninsured. APHCV provided 45,000 medical and mental health visits last year in multiple Asian languages (Thai, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Khmer, Japanese, Bengali, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, and Indonesian), English and Spanish. APHCV can be reached at (323) 644-3880. Medical appointments can be made by calling (323) 644-3888.