Detroit – Lt. Governor Gary Gilchrist Detroit On the east side, we’ll tour one of the many neighborhood wellness centers helping keep the surrounding area healthy.
The state is investing $17 million to convert 22 former COVID-19 testing sites into health and wellness centers.
The effort is being spearheaded by Gilchrist’s Racial Disparities Task Force, which is committed to reducing racial disparities in health care.
The wellness center grew out of a neighborhood testing site during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Local 4 learned during that time about health disparities that often relate to race, so the center addresses that.
Vernon Chapel AME Church on Detroit’s east side will be holding services and providing health care.
“We all need to be healthy,” said Carmen Sneed, administrator at Vernon Chapel AME Church, “and we all need to be healthy, but a lot of people in the community don’t have access to health care services. This service gives them that opportunity.”
The church is one of about 22 community wellness centers in Michigan.
The center offers free preventive health screenings to address racial health disparities.
The state is investing $17 million in the program.
“The people closest to the problem are also closest to the solution,” Gilchrest says, “and this model fundamentally understands that.”
“We hope that this will allow people to access health care in a way that they haven’t been able to before,” said Elizabeth Hertel with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. “People who may have had barriers in terms of transportation or finances will be able to come to these community centers and get all of the essential services and get referrals.”
On Tuesday afternoon (June 11), people were taking advantage of the services offered by the neighborhood health center.
“I’ve had some good news with my high blood pressure,” James Harris said. “It’s getting better, so I think this is a great program.”
Even Sean Wright understood the importance of this facility.
“It’s hard to live when you’re sick, trying to keep everybody healthy and well,” Wright said.
At these wellness centers, you can get blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol testing, and more.
If there is a problem, community members are pointed in the right direction. These wellness centers want to be hubs of prevention.
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