Access Committee – Flint & Genesee County Healthcare Resource Guide Now Available

With a growing population of newly uninsured and underinsured individuals as a result of the economic decline, many residents lack the knowledge needed to navigate our community’s health care safety-net system. To address this, the GFHC’s Access Committee has created a new Health Care Resource Guide, a tool designed to assist residents with where and how to access health care services throughout the community. This recognized need to educate residents on available services was initially identified in the GFHC’s Health Care Impact Study completed in 2010 with assistance from The Lewin Group.

The Health Care Resource Guide provides critical information to individuals and families via a small, succinct hard-copy booklet, including:

· Listing of clinics that provide services such as primary care, vision, dental, obstetrics, behavioral health, prescription assistance, and more;
· Supportive services including healthcare eligibility assistance, phone hotlines, and other services;
· Healthcare coverage and insurance programs available to individuals, children, and families.

The Health Care Resource Guides are available for distribution throughout Genesee County. If your organization is interested in ordering copies to assist with distribution into the hands of those most in need of this important information, please contact the GFHC via phone or email. The Health Care Resource Guide can also be viewed online at www.gfhc.org/resourceguide.pdf.

City of Flint Mayor Dayne Walling Proclaims September 12, 2011 “Commit to Fit! Day”

Through ongoing efforts to revitalize and improve the City of Flint on a broad level, Mayor Dayne Walling has recognized that the community’s health is a vital component of a vibrant City. This recognition was demonstrated as the City of Flint represented one of the 50 participating organizations in the Commit to Fit Fall 4 Fitness Challenge.

As a featured speaker at the Fall 4 Fitness Challenge Kick-off Event, Mayor Walling challenged participants to take charge of their health and lead by example. To further reinforce the City of Flint’s ongoing support of Commit to Fit! and the health of the community, Mayor Dayne Walling made the following proclamation: “Monday, September 12, 2011 and the second Monday of every September hereafter to be ‘Commit to Fit!’ Day in the City of Flint and I invite the residents of this community to join the Greater Flint Health Coalition in their effort to reduce sedentary lifestyles and improve our health status by practicing healthy lifestyles that incorporate physical activity and nutrition while making our community a Healthy Place to Live, Learn, Work, and Play.”

Commit to Fit! is also a central component of the City of Flint’s participation in the national Let’s Move initiative. This past March, the City of Flint and Mayor Dayne Walling were credited by First Lady Michelle Obama who recognized Flint as the 500th city to join Let’s Move.