(BLACK PR WIRE) – First Lady Michelle Obama recently visited the Jessie Trice Community Health Center (JTCHC) to promote the Affordable Care Act. Outreach and enrollment efforts by the Obama administration have been in full force to encourage key demographics to enroll by the March 31st deadline. With just weeks left to sign up for health care under the Affordable Care Act, the First Lady was on a mission to encourage young adults and minorities to enroll.

During her visit, the First Lady shared that federally qualified health centers, such as the Jessie Trice Community Health Center, will play a key role in helping the uninsured to become insured.

“In the African-American community, one in five of us are not insured,” she said, “and the numbers are no better in the Hispanic community.”

While at JTCHC, the First Lady spoke with four Certified Application Counselors who sat at tables with individuals already enrolled in health plans and others who had yet to sign up. She looked on as one counselor, Paul Salazar, shared that it takes about 20 minutes to sign up one person. The First Lady applauded the Jessie Trice Community Health Center for its efforts and shared that their tireless dedication to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to receive quality healthcare is reflected in the over four million people that have signed up for healthcare nationwide – a major milestone.

“It was an absolute pleasure meeting with the First Lady,” said Annie Neasman, RN, MS, president of JTCHC. “We are committed to doing our part to aid in the enrollment efforts of the Affordable Care Act and we look forward to helping patients receive the kind of quality and affordable care they need at the Jessie Trice Community Health Center.”

The Jessie Trice Community Health Center, Inc. is a Florida 501 (c) 3, not-for-profit, Federally Qualified Health Center, which has been serving Miami-Dade County since 1967. Its mission is to provide comprehensive primary health care services by increasing access and improving the quality of life of our diverse South Florida community. A community mainstay, JTCHC owns and operates sixteen (16) facilities, including eight (8) Comprehensive Primary Care centers, twenty-five (25) school-based/university centers, and other medical facilities. JTCHC’s multicultural, multilingual, and multidisciplinary staff services a diverse population of 30,000 patients who make more than 130,000 visits annually. For more information on the Jessie Trice Community Health Center, visit www.jtchc.org.