Communities across the country will celebrate National Health Center Week 2023 August 6 – August 12. Great Lakes Bay Health Centers (GLBHC) will host their 16th annual National Health Center Week community event at a new location August 10, 2023, on the Saginaw County Courthouse lawns from 10:00am – 2:00pm. Elected official, Representative Amos O’Neal will join in recognizing the work Great Lakes Bay Health Centers do to keep our communities healthy and safe.
Great Lakes Bay Health Centers has 32 locations which provide medical and dental services to over 50,000 patients a year, in 16 counties throughout Michigan. Community health centers across the country are the first to respond with wrap around care during disasters and health emergencies. Their model of care is driven by services needed in each unique community, acting as the backbone of the nation’s primary care system. Community Health Centers (CHC) lower health care costs to the tune of $24 billion a year reducing the rate of chronic diseases and stimulating local economies.
Congress must act immediately for CHCs to continue to serve as health care homes. Long-term, stable funding for Community Health Centers will ensure places like GLBHC can keep the doors open and close the growing access gap for medically vulnerable communities.
The “Smiles are Everywhere” Mobile Dental Program will hold a dental floss cutting ceremony for their newest team member: Mobile Dental Unit #4! Last year, the “Smiles Are Everywhere” mobile dental team treated more than 4,500 school children between September and June. The health Center’s newest mobile dental unit (Team member #4 as they like to call it) will help expand their ability to reach even more children, helping them to get the care they need. “Every child should be able to eat without pain, go to school and show their wonderful smiles to those around them. The schools, the teachers, the parents are all a part of our team to help us to improve the oral health care of the children in the community,” said Dr. Paul Crowley, Chief Dental Officer.
Also being announced is that GLBHC has received substantial grant funding through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and Michigan Health Endowment (MHEF) for a 2-year period to implement innovative approaches to address the maternal health crisis that will strive to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce disparities for pregnant patients at highest risk. GLBHC and its health and community partners are committed to improving infant and maternal health outcomes in this community with the provision of culturally linguistically appropriate maternal health and doula care that will improve birth outcomes and decrease maternal and infant mortality rates.
You can show your support during National Health Center Week by supporting a health center in your community. More information can be found on the Great Lakes Bay Health Center’s website at greatlakesbayhealthcenters.org/donate.
