Great Lakes Bay Pharmacy provides essential services like medication delivery and education, ensuring patients understand how to take their medications properly. Vision Care Services include comprehensive eye exams and screenings for diseases like diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, helping catch early disease states. Early prevention and treatment are vital for maintaining good health, especially for individuals with conditions like diabetes and hypertension.
Angela Williams, Senior Vice President of Great Lakes Bay Health Center, discusses the importance of children getting back on track with routine vaccinations. Vaccination schedules for children aged 0-7 and 8-18 are available and parents should be diligent in ensuring their children receive the recommended vaccines. Babies and children under two are more prone to being exposed to germs, making timely vaccinations essential for protecting their immune systems. Great Lakes Bay Health Centers addresses concerns about multiple vaccines by encouraging parents to become educated before well-child visits.
Angela Williams joins us to talk about the road map to Better Health, focusing on addressing health disparities in our community. Great Lakes Bay Health Centers has received funding grants to implement new programs, including an early childhood development program. They are also opening a school-based health center at Bay City Central High School in 2024. Another major project is advancing birth equity to improve maternal health outcomes, including implementing a doula program. Great Lakes Bay Health Centers offer comprehensive medical services, pharmacy services, and vision clinics in Saginaw and Bay County.
The “Smiles are Everywhere” Mobile Dental Program held a dental floss cutting ceremony Aug. 10 for their newest team member: Mobile Dental Unit #4. Last year, the mobile dental team treated more than 4,500 school children between September and June. Our newest mobile dental unit will help expand our ability to reach even more children, helping them to get the care they need. Special thanks to community partner Delta Dental Foundation, which has helped us to provides excellent oral care to our community for many years.
GLBHC received its new Mobile Medical bus through a grant from Michigan Primary Care Association this month. The mobile medical team provides primary medical care, behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment to partner locations across the region – including shelters, outreach centers and Delta College.
A new project at GLBHC will implement innovative approaches to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce disparities for patients at highest risk. GLBHC is pleased to announce that we have received substantial grant funding to implement a community-based doula program targeting Medicaid-eligible pregnant women in Bay and Saginaw counties to provide culturally appropriate non-clinical support to marginalized, low-income women with preexisting health risks. We are so excited to have an opportunity to significantly change these statistics and to save babies’ and moms’ lives. These grants will enable us to hire staff support to change lives because we care.
Great Lakes Bay Health Centers and Bay City Central High School Awarded School-Based Health Center Planning Grant
Bay County, Michigan – Bay City Central High School and Great Lakes Bay Health Centers will announce grant funding from the state of Michigan to begin the process of implementing a school-based health center for Bay City Public School District. This six-month planning process involves community input and commitment from a sponsoring health agency to provide clinical services.
The focus of the Child and Adolescent Health Center (CAHC) Program Planning Grant through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is to study a need for the delivery of health services to children and adolescents ages 5-21 years in geographic areas where it can be documented that the mental and primary health care services that are accessible and acceptable to children and adolescents require enhancement, or do not currently exist.
“Providing a safe and caring place for children and adolescents to learn positive health behaviors, address mental health needs and ensure a continuity of care results in healthy youth who are ready and able to learn and become educated, productive adults.” said Tim Marciniak, Principal, Bay City Central High School.
“Healthy Kids Make Better Learners! Adolescents need a safe place to seek confidential health care services. Implementing this program in a school will improve their physical and emotional health outcomes. The concept is like having a private doctor’s office on school property! These programs positively impact students’ self-esteem and support their academic achievements. They provide easy access to health services.” Angelia Williams, Senior Vice-President, Great Lakes Bay Health Centers.
Dr. Stephen Bigelow, Superintendent, Bay City Public Schools: “Great Lakes Bay Health Centers have been implementing school-based health programs in Saginaw County since 2006. We are excited to embark on this new partnership. All children and adolescents deserve to thrive. But too many struggle because they lack access to health care services. School-based health care is the solution, bringing health care to where students already spend the majority of their time: in school.”
Establishment of a school-based health center is a partnership between a school, parents, and a sponsoring medical agency, such as a hospital system, federally qualified health center or local health department. Within a school-based health center, medical services are provided by licensed medical personnel: a nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or physician. All clinical sites offer mental health services provided by a licensed master’s level mental health provider (i.e., counselor or social worker).
The grant also requires establishment of a Community Advisory Council, made up of school staff, local parents of school-aged children or adolescents, school health representatives and clinicians from the sponsoring provider.
Great Lakes Bay Health Centers will receive $75,000 to conduct local planning to determine the feasibility, community commitment, and documented need for implementing a comprehensive school-based health center. Sites who successfully complete planning grant objectives are approved for renovation and equipment/supplies to start the full operations of a new school-based health program. GLBHC has six months to meet the planning grant requirements.
About school-based health centers:
School-based and school-linked health center services have been provided in Michigan through the CAHC program since the 1980s. State funding for such services began in 1987 through the Michigan Department of Public Health (now the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services [MDHHS]). The CAHC program is jointly managed by MDHHS and the Michigan Department of Education (MDE).
GLBHC patient Yolanda A. was the first person to receive services on Oct. 28 at Old Town.
She has been a patient for many years, along with her whole family – husband, two sons and a grandson. “This is my family’s home,” she said.
She was excited when she learned her medical provider was moving from the former facility on Hamilton to the new site.
“I said Yes! This is going to be our new building. I love it. I’m excited there is a pharmacy here, so I can get medication more conveniently, and not have to wait.
“Even though we didn’t have as much space in the old building, we made it work because we are family. We will still have the same love we had before here.
When I got out of the car for my appointment today, I said a prayer that great things are going to be done in this building. A lot is going to be accomplished here. Thank you.”
Great Lakes Bay Health Centers (GLBHC) has officially opened its new Old Town center at 700 Court Street in Saginaw, offering a spacious new hub for a variety of heath services in one convenient location.
Staff and community members celebrated with a Ribbon Cutting ceremony on Oct. 27, attended by local and state officials, neighbors and chamber leaders. Congressman Dan Kildee and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow each spoke during the ceremony. The new building was constructed by Shaheen Development to provide 30,000 square feet of space dedicated to health services for anyone seeking care, regardless of their insurance coverage.
“I am proud to be part of a company where moms and dads can trust they have a good doctor and good support system,” said Arnesha West, patient and WIC breastfeeding peer counselor who spoke at the event. “It’s all about making families feel like family. We want to make all moms and dads feel welcome.”
Family medicine and OB-GYN service providers began seeing full schedules of patients Nov. 1. Women, Infant and Children (WIC) nutrition program and breastfeeding support, Maternal Infant Health Program, and Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health care also are joining. Eye Care, Physical Therapy and Pharmacy will join this winter.
If you didn’t get to visit the new center yet, please plan to join us for an evening Together Event tour at 5:30 pm on Nov. 15 or on Dec. 1.