WASHINGTON – In recognition of his efforts to broaden access to affordable heath care, the National Association of Community Health Centers has awarded its 2002 Community Health Super Hero Award to U.S. Rep. John Baldacci.

The award was presented earlier this month in Washington to acknowledge Baldacci’s “leadership in Congress in expanding primary health care in the Second Congressional District of Maine and throughout the country.”

According to officials with the NACHC, Baldacci has demonstrated his understanding of the need to provide greater access to affordable, quality health care to more Americans by his active support for efforts to double the number of people served by America’s Community Health Centers – which provided health care to 12 million individuals, including 4.5 million children, 4.5 million uninsured patients and 500,000 homeless people.

“Representative Baldacci clearly understands how important access to health care services is for all Americans,” NACHC President Tom Van Coverden stated in a prepared statement.

Established in 1970, NACHC is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to represent the interests of federally supported and other federally qualified health centers, and to serve as the information source concerning issues of health care for poor and medically underserved populations in the United States.