In a move to bolster preventive healthcare access in underrepresented Michigan communities, the state has converted their COVID-19 neighborhood testing sites into full-fledged Wellness Centers. Announced by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, these 22 centers, including eight in Detroit, now provide a range of free health services aimed at addressing racial health disparities and substance use disorder prevention. According to The Detroit News report, they are a product of a tactic pivoted from pandemic response to ongoing community wellness.
During his visit to the Vernon Chapel A.M.E. Church site, Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II highlighted the $17 million backing from the 2024 state budget for these centers. Standing with faith and community leaders in Detroit, he remarked, "Governor Whitmer and I are proud of our work to address racial health disparities and expand access to affordable health care." Gilchrist's words, having echoed through the newly-minted Wellness Center, intended to cement the administration's commitment to health equity. "Growing out of our work to tackle racial disparities in COVID-19 cases and deaths, the 22 Neighborhood Wellness Centers throughout Michigan meet residents where they are and connect them to screenings, treatment and more", Gilchrist said, as per Michigan Health & Human Services.
Joining the Lieutenant Governor, MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel spoke about the new role of these community institutions. Emphasizing their previous success against pandemic disparities, she asserted that the centers are set to offer vital no-cost health services like blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol screenings, as well as COVID-19 and flu testing. Not only serving health needs, these centers present warm or cool respite against seasonal extremes. "Our neighborhood sites have a proven track record of reducing disparities and meeting communities where they are," Hertel stated in The Detroit News report.
Along with screening and testing, the centers are staffed with community health workers (CHWs) to assist with social determinants of health including food, housing, and transportation needs, as well as referral services. In a pilot program funded with $250,000 from opioid settlement dollars, seven locations are offering substance use disorder prevention services, with free naloxone—a life-saving medication—to anyone in need. As detailed by Health & Human Services, former director of the Governor's Coronavirus Racial Disparities Task Force, Tommy Stallworth mentioned the intentional positioning of the centers to ensure equitable distribution of services and resources, making sure that those most vulnerable are put at the front of the line when it comes to life-saving measures.
This transformation from emergency pandemic response to sustained neighborhood wellness hubs underscores Michigan's larger commitment to health equity and community-based care. With more than $800 million expected to flow into the state over the next 18 years as part of a nationwide opioid settlement, it is clear that the Neighborhood Wellness Centers are just one of the many steps aimed at a more inclusive and health-focused future for Michigan residents. Residents are encouraged to visit the provided state resources to locate a wellness center or learn more about their services.
