WHEREAS, MEDIKO, based in Richmond, has met the unique challenges of providing health care to inmates in the Commonwealth by offering cost-effective medical services in correctional facilities for 25 years; and

WHEREAS, MEDIKO was established by Kaveh Ofogh, MD, on October 16, 1996, and initially provided physician services to inmates in Virginia correctional facilities; soon after, the organization also began offering psychiatric care and mental health counseling; and

WHEREAS, MEDIKO has grown to provide comprehensive medical care through a highly trained staff of physicians and nurses, along with pharmaceutical and laboratory services, dialysis treatment, and access to offsite medical services when appropriate; and

WHEREAS, in 2005, MEDIKO became the first organization to offer telepsychiatry services to any jail in the Commonwealth and has since conducted more than 50,000 telepsychiatry sessions; and

WHEREAS, in addition to its achievements in Virginia, MEDIKO has expanded throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, developing strong partnerships to ensure that the organization is responsive to regional operational needs and patients receive the highest quality medical services; and

WHEREAS, over the years, MEDIKO has continued to fulfill its mission through the hard work of its professional staff members, the generosity of donors and volunteers, and the dedication of client partners and contractors; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend MEDIKO, an innovative leader in correctional facility health care services, on the occasion of its 25th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Kaveh Ofogh, MD, founder and chief executive officer of MEDIKO, as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the organization's outstanding achievements and important mission.