Los Angeles Clinics and Celebrities Band Together to Fight Health Care Cuts; Joint Statement From The Saban Free Clinic, Venice Family Clinic and Westside Family Health Center

LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - June 30, 2009) - Three Los Angeles health clinics with a long history of serving low-income and underserved communities released a new public service announcement (PSA) on You Tube in a united effort to fight the proposed health care cuts in the California state budget. This latest call to action, developed and released jointly by The Saban Free Clinic, Venice Family Clinic and Westside Family Health Center, urges state leaders to stop the severe cuts that would decimate the safety net for the poor.

Academy Award-winners Helen Hunt and Linda Hunt, actors Dann Florek (Law & Order: SVU), Chelsea Handler (Chelsea Lately) and Belita Moreno (George Lopez), clinic patients and staff speak out in the PSA and pose the frightening question, "What if... ?" as they illustrate the devastating harm the proposed cuts would inflict on low-income uninsured families and the community-at-large. Together, as advocates, they call on our communities, friends and neighbors to "Call Sacramento Now!" and demand that our state legislators stand up and protect all Californians.

If left unchallenged, the proposed health care cuts could mean the elimination of health care for one million children, the inability of the frail and sick to afford vital drugs and treatment, a reduction in services provided by 800 free and community clinics in jeopardy -- with the potential deluge of people without clinic-based care forced to flood our already overtaxed emergency rooms. The Saban Free Clinic, Venice Family Clinic and Westside Family Health Center fervently ask our leaders to find a solution to our state budget crisis that does not penalize our most needy so that "What If... ?" does not become a frightening reality.

Watch the PSA at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZSCs14_-Oo

The following representatives are available for ongoing media opportunities:

--  The Saban Free Clinic -- Co-CEOs Abbe Land and Jeff Bujer
--  Venice Family Clinic -- Executive Director/CEO Liz Forer
--  Westside Family Health Center -- President/CEO Debra Farmer
    

The Saban Free Clinic in collaboration with strategic partners provides dependable and affordable quality health care and human services in a caring environment for the underserved and those who are most vulnerable. The Saban Free Clinic provided over 84,300 patient visits to 21,160 individuals last year at its four sites in Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.thesabanfreeclinic.org.

Venice Family Clinic's mission is to provide free quality health care to people in need. With the help of approximately 1,500 volunteers, including nearly 500 physicians, Venice Family Clinic, the largest free clinic in the country, provides a medical home for more than 23,500 patients in over 100,000 health care visits at eight sites in Venice, Santa Monica, Mar Vista and Culver City. For more information, visit www.venicefamilyclinic.org.

Westside Family Health Center provides comprehensive, high quality, cost-effective health care in an educational and supportive environment that empowers patients to take an assertive role in caring for their well-being through all stages of life. The Westside Family Health Center sees more than 8,300 men, women and children in more than 22,400 visits and an additional 10,000 community health education encounters yearly. For more information, visit www.wfhcenter.org.