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Grants
Strengthening the Safety Net: Improving Health Care Access through Michigan's Free Clinics
Apply for a Strengthening the Safety Net grant
We're now accepting applications for 2011 Strengthening the Safety Net grants. Learn more about the grant elements and application process.
Our commitment to the health of Michigan is different from the other insurance companies doing business in our state. As a nonprofit health insurer, our mission is to expand access to high quality, affordable health care coverage for everyone.
Our Strengthening the Safety Net grants to free clinics help low-income, uninsured and underinsured Michigan residents get needed medical, dental, mental health and specialty care services at free clinics around the state.
We focus on increasing health care access for the uninsured because over 1 million Michigan residents are without health insurance. Many of these individuals and families are able to seek medical care from free clinics instead of going to an emergency room or forgoing care all together.
Since 2005, we have awarded $6 million in grants to our state's free clinics to address this critical issue. Funded clinics have used our grants to expand services provided, stay open longer, and continue to offer essential services to patients regardless of ability to pay.
At the Michigan Blues, we're clear that keeping Michigan's safety net accessible and stable is a critical public health concern and an important way to curb rising health care costs. This is just one way we're leading Michigan to a healthier future — one community at a time.
In 2010, Blue Cross awards grants to 55 free clinics
In October 2010, 55 free clinics around the state received grants of at least $15,000 each to continue existing operations, extend operating hours or add services.
New in 2010, Blue Cross also awarded four highly competitive grants of $50,000 each to five clinics that identified clear gaps in safety net coverage and outlined plans to address the gaps in creative and sustainable ways.
- Joy Southfield Community Development Corporation in Detroit proposed a partnership with Healthy Corner Stores and community health workers to support uninsured adults with chronic diseases between clinic visits. Read more about Joy-Southfield's grant efforts.
- Traverse Health Clinic in Traverse City proposed teaming with the University of Michigan School of Dentristy, community dentists, and dental hygienists to expand availability of free dental services in their area by 400 patient visits. Read more about this innovative partnership.
- Mercy Place Clinic in Pontiac proposed recruiting and training community health ambassadors from diverse social service and advocacy agencies to reach 1,500 individuals with health education, screening and assessment services. Read more about Mercy Place Clinic's grant efforts.
- Catherine's Health Center and Health Intervention Services in Grand Rapids proposed broadening their existing partnership to include shared staff and resources, particularly for volunteer recruitment and training and an expansion of dental services. Read more about this innovative partnership.
Joy-Southfield promotes wellness in Detroit
In 2010, the Joy-Southfield Community Development Corporation, located in Detroit, received a $50,000 grant from Blue Cross to support a program that targets chronic disease in uninsured youth and adults.
"It will be impossible to reform health care and improve long-term health outcomes (particularly for the underserved)," notes David Law, Joy-Southfield's executive director, "without increasing the emphasis on preventing, rather than treating, the complications of common chronic diseases."
With its Strengthening the Safety Net grant, Joy-Southfield provides uninsured school-aged youth with screening for diabetes and hypertension through back-to-school and sports physicals. Children that screen positive for these illnesses are treated at the Joy-Southfield free clinic.
The clinic's wellness promotion program also offers incentives to reward positive health outcomes for uninsured adults. Incentives include reduced-cost memberships at local fitness centers and vouchers to purchase healthy food at the Joy-Southfield Farmers Market. Expanding this program over the course of the grant cycle is expected to reduce attrition, increase adherence and attract new patients to the clinic.
Lastly, Joy-Southfield is using community health workers to provide in-home care between clinic visits for uninsured adults with chronic illness.
Blue Cross funds support screening supplies, promotional materials and medical equipment as well as supplies and laptops for community health workers.
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Traveling partnership expands dental care availability in Traverse City
Traverse Health Clinic received $50,000 in 2010 Strengthening the Safety Net funds for a unique partnership with the University of Michigan to bring dental services to more than 250 patients.
"Dental issues are among the top three reasons why our uninsured patients go to the emergency room," noted Arlene Brennan, executive director of Traverse Health Clinic. "This program will help patients get the necessary care before they need to go to the emergency room."
Dental students will travel from Ann Arbor to the clinic, which is situated in Traverse City, to provide services to the clinic's patients. Students will be monitored by a community volunteer dentist, and dental hygienists will provide oral hygiene services.
Blue Cross funding was partially used to help offset the costs of dental labs, appliances and supplies and the cost of the students' travel and lodging.
This innovative partnership between the University of Michigan and Traverse Health Clinic is expected to result in 400 patient encounters during the one-year grant.
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Free clinic collaboration benefits Grand Rapids
Catherine's Health Center and Health Intervention Services have long worked together to serve the uninsured in Grand Rapids. These faith-based organizations both offer screening, education, counseling and treatment for patients with a commitment to providing medical homes wherever possible.
This year, they are using a Strengthening the Safety Net grant to deepen their partnership, expand available services and leverage both existing and future resources to serve the low-income, underserved residents of their communities.
"It's been difficult for nonprofits to collaborate as they traditionally compete for resources," said Karen Kaashoek, executive director of Catherine's Health Center on the northeast side of Grand Rapids. "However, when you take that first step, you often find other ways to collaborate and share information. By collaborating, you improve the delivery of care rather than developing the process from the ground up."
Like many other free clinics, Health Intervention Services and Catherine's Health Center face challenges in recruiting and retaining volunteers. They requested grant funds to expand shared volunteer coordination, dental services, referral coordination and primary care.
While the results aren't in yet, Sylvia Daining, executive director of Health Intervention Services on the southwest side of Grand Rapids, is pleased. She notes that while collaborative efforts take longer to develop, their success often leads to more collaboration, reducing duplication of effort and allowing each organization to focus more of scarce resources on patients.
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Community health ambassadors reach out in Pontiac
Mercy Place Clinic provides safety net primary care opportunities for the working poor in the Greater Pontiac area. Their 2010 noncompetitive grant is being used to purchase medical supplies and prescription drugs as well as laboratory and X-ray services.
Mercy Place also proposed an innovative approach to chronic disease prevention and management using a medical assistant and a team of eight community health ambassadors.
Community health ambassadors reach out to people in the heart of the community — in hair salons, churches, barber shops and gas stations, for example.
"Breaking into the community won't be hard," said Joy Calloway, director of community programs for St. Joseph Mercy Oakland. She oversees the Community Programs department, including operations at Mercy Place Clinic. "Getting people to engage beyond the initial level will be more challenging," she continued. Establishing trust is key to engaging at that deeper level.
Community health ambassadors were selected based on their love of the community, connections, ability to engage an audience, willingness to learn quickly and interest in health promotion and disease prevention.
The community health ambassador program is expected to provide health screening and education for 1,200 to 1,500 people during the grant period. People who screen positive for illnesses receive follow-up counseling and care.
"Our goal is to reach out to members of the community wherever they are, and to make people healthy so they don't end up in the emergency room where care is very costly," Ms. Calloway added.
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