PRESS RELEASE

Plainfield Health Center Awarded Accreditation from Joint Commission

For Immediate Release: Monday, April 16, 2001-PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY- The Plainfield Health Center, one of twelve Federally Qualified Health Centers in New Jersey, dedicated to providing cost effective primary health care services for the residents of Plainfield and surrounding communities, announced today that it has achieved accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

Founded in 1951, the Joint Commission is dedicated to continuously improving the safety and quality of the nation's health care through voluntary accreditation. The Plainfield Health Center was accredited after a team of Joint Commission surveyors conducted an on-site survey in February and found that the Plainfield Health Center had demonstrated compliance with the Joint Commission's national standards for ambulatory care organizations.

"In becoming accredited, the Plainfield Health Center was evaluated against a set of national standards by a Joint Commission survey team experienced in the delivery of ambulatory health care services," says Linda Kelley Petersen, Executive Director, Ambulatory Program, Joint Commission. "Achieving accreditation demonstrates Plainfield Health Center's commitment to provide high quality care to its patients."

"We sought accreditation for our organization because we want to be the best," said Julane Miller-Armbrister, President and Chief Executive Officer, Plainfield Health Center. "We view obtaining Joint Commission accreditation as another step toward excellence."

"Our staff has been very supportive of the process. I think it gives them a feeling of prestige to work in an accredited organization," said Dr. Susan Walsh, Medical Director, Plainfield Health Center. "They also appreciated the educational aspect of the survey and the opportunity to interact with the Joint Commission survey team."

About The Plainfield Health Center

The Plainfield Health Center, incorporated as the Plainfield Neighborhood Health Services Corporation, was born in 1969 under the auspices of the 1960's Model Cities Neighborhood Program. Led by a dedicated group of community activists, the Center was initially created to provide accessible health care to the residents of the West End of Plainfield.

Since then, the Center has grown, added more services, increased the number of specialties of professional health staff, and expanded its reach to the entire City of Plainfield and neighboring communities. Today, the Plainfield Health Center serves more than 16,000 patients annually. Its total care program provides adult medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, adolescent medicine, school based services, dentistry and ancillary support services.

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