The Health Council of South Florida (HCSF) will be hosting Rubies & Rhythm in celebration of its 40th Anniversary on Thursday evening, February 26th, 2009, at Jungle Island in the Sabal Palm Plaza. Benefits from this event will help raise funds to enable the HCSF to carry on its mission in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties and contribute to the HCSF Scholarship Fund that has been established to address the healthcare professional shortage in our community. Honorees to be recognized at the event include Romero Britto, Exceptional Community Service Award and Benjamin Leon, Jr., Outstanding Health Advocate Award. This momentous event will feature a cocktail reception, delectable dinner, fashion show, silent auction and much more! The Health Council is part of a statewide network of 11 non-profit agencies that conduct regional health planning and implementation activities. It provides recommendations that are designed to improve access to health care, reduce disparities in health status, assist state and local governments in the development of sound and rational health care policies, and advocate on behalf of the underserved. The HCSF studies the impact of various initiatives on the health care system, provides assistance to the public and private sectors, and creates and disseminates materials designed to increase their communities’ understanding of health care issues. As a public health organization, it works “behind the scenes” to ensure that quality healthcare is available and is deemed a priority to the leaders in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. In addition, the HCSF acts an unbiased facilitator and convener for several organizations and initiatives in the community providing services such as strategic planning, evaluation and project administration. Some of those initiatives include the Consortium for a Healthier Miami-Dade, the Miami-Dade Hospital Preparedness Consortium, and the Miami-Dade Health Action Network. It also administers the AIDS Insurance Continuation Program (AICP) that preserves the private health insurance coverage of low-income Floridians living with HIV/AIDS who cannot afford to pay their private health insurance premiums.