Isabella Citizens for Health Announces Payoff of $1.2 M Line of Credit from McLaren Central Michigan
Mt. Pleasant, Mich. -- Isabella Citizens for Health, Inc. (ICH), a Federally Qualified Health Center providing primary health care to residents of Isabella County and surrounding communities, has successfully paid off its nearly $1.2 million line of credit from McLaren Central Michigan.
What began as a $20,000 loan in November of 2010, grew into a $1.2 million interest-free line of credit by 2015 extended by McLaren Central Michigan to ICH to establish a community health center in Isabella County. The McLaren Central Michigan Board of Directors approved the financial support of this initiative as a strategic vision for ensuring future access to care for all residents of central Michigan, regardless of insurance status.
“In 2010, a small group of concerned residents got together to see how the community could ensure access to primary healthcare to all residents of the county. McLaren Central Michigan, under the leadership of then President and CEO Bill Lawrence and the Hospital Board, was also dedicated to this cause and joined the community group to form Isabella Citizens for Health, Inc. Without the initial loan from McLaren Central Michigan, the community health center might not have gotten off the ground”. Stated Steven Berkshire, EdD, President of the ICH Board of Directors and one of its founding members. “On behalf of the ICH Board, its providers and staff, we want to thank McLaren Central Michigan and, in particular, Bill Lawrence for their vision and belief in our endeavor”
The funds enabled the center to begin operations with just one physician in 2013. In 2015, ICH received its official designation from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as a Federally Qualified Health Center. HRSA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The center’s focus is to improve a person’s overall health and offer a variety of services not typically found in a medical office such as integrated nursing case management, outpatient therapy and counseling, and substance use services. In addition, ICH provides prescription assistance, transportation assistance, and a sliding fee discount for under- and uninsured patients. All of these services are available to people of all ages regardless of insurance status.
Today, the health center is the primary care medical home to more than 6500 individuals and will provide approximately 22,000 patient medical visits in 2018. ICH employs nine primary care providers and two outpatient therapists in two office locations in the Central Michigan Health Park in Mt. Pleasant. In 2019, ICH will move into its new 24,000 sq. ft. medical building which includes space for additional services including onsite lab and pharmacy.
“We congratulate Isabella Citizens for Health on their success,” said Martin Tursky, current President/CEO of McLaren Central Michigan. “The Hospital is proud to have played an integral part in assisting with the formation of the FQHC, and have fully supported their efforts to establish themselves as a leading healthcare provider in this area. This is a great accomplishment for them, and we look forward to continuing our positive working relationship in the years to come.”
Isabella Citizens for Health, Inc. is one of 39 FQHCs in Michigan and 1400 FQHCs across the United States.
Isabella Citizens for Health Receives Another Perfect Score on Federal Site Inspection
Mt. Pleasant, Mich. -- Isabella Citizens for Health, Inc. (ICH), a Federally Qualified Health Center providing primary health care to residents of Isabella County and surrounding communities, has successfully completed a 3-day Operational Site Visit from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a requirement to ensure continued funding from the Federal agency.
HRSA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for improving health and achieving health equity through access to quality services, a skilled health workforce, and innovative programs including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). Health Centers are reviewed every three years against 107 program requirements in three general areas – clinical care, financial management, and governance. ICH received a perfect score of no conditions against continued funding – a rare achievement. Not only is this rare but it is also the second time ICH has performed at this level. In 2016, the Center received its first perfect score by HRSA site reviewers. The leadership at ICH credits its success to the Center’s dedicated staff.
“Meeting all 107 program requirements speaks to the exceptional people who make our success possible,” says Jennifer White, Chief Executive Officer. “We are all very proud to be part of a team that continues to work together to create a top-performing organization that will provide a medical home to thousands of people for years to come.”
“The successful site visit by HRSA demonstrates the quality and commitment of the clinicians and staff of Isabella Citizens for Health to ensuring primary health care to the residents of the area, regardless of ability to pay.” Stated Steven Berkshire, Board chair for ICH and one of the founding members of the committee to plan for the development of the center. “The vision of the original group of community members and leaders who saw the possibilities back in 2009 and then the establishment of the center is now ensuring access to primary care. The center’s efforts have grown tremendously these last few years and will continue to grow into the future.”
ICH opened a community health center in 2013 with the purpose of providing primary medical care and related support services to all people. Its focus is to improve a person’s overall health and offer a variety of services not typically found in a medical office such as integrated nursing case management, substance use services, and outpatient therapy and counseling. ICH holds a Patient-Centered Medical Home designation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. By the end of this year, the Center is expected to be the primary care medical home to 6500 individuals and provide 20,000 patient medical visits. In 2019, ICH will move into its new 24,000 square foot medical building which includes space for the addition of onsite pharmacy services.
Isabella Citizens for Health Celebrates National Health Center Week 2017
August 15, 2017
Mt. Pleasant, Mich. – One of the bright spots in America’s health care system are Community Health Centers. There are 1400 Community Health Centers nationwide who serve more than 25 million Americans. This is a number that continues to grow along with the demand for affordable primary care. These centers have compiled a significant record of success that includes:
Health centers not only prevent illness and foster wellness in the most challenging populations, they produce innovative solutions to the most pressing health care issues in their communities. They reach beyond the walls of conventional medicine to address the factors that may cause sickness, such as lack of nutrition, mental illness, homelessness and opioid addiction. Because of their long record of success in innovation, managing health care costs, and reducing chronic disease, health centers have a proud tradition of bipartisan support in Congress.
In Michigan, there are 43 health center organizations caring for more than 640,000 individuals yearly.
Isabella Citizens for Health (ICH) is a Federally Qualified Health Center recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance as a Patient Centered Medical Home. The health center provides comprehensive primary care to people of all ages in the Isabella County area. Staff at ICH focus on improving a patient’s overall health and offer a variety of services not typically found in a medical office, such as integrated nursing case management and behavioral health services like outpatient therapy and counseling.
ICH opened their doors as Isabella County’s first community health center in 2013 with just one physician. Today, ICH employs eight primary care providers in two office locations in the Central Michigan Health Park in Mt. Pleasant. In 2017, ICH is expected to provide primary care to approximately 6200 unduplicated people and perform an estimated 18,200 patient visits.
Mt. Pleasant, Mich. – One of the bright spots in America’s health care system are Community Health Centers. There are 1400 Community Health Centers nationwide who serve more than 25 million Americans. This is a number that continues to grow along with the demand for affordable primary care. These centers have compiled a significant record of success that includes:
- Producing $24 billion in annual health system savings;
- Reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and unnecessary visits to the emergency room;
- Treating patients for a fraction of the average cost of one emergency room visit;
- Maintaining patient satisfaction levels of nearly 100 percent;
- Serving more than one in six Medicaid beneficiaries for less than two percent of the national Medicaid budget.
Health centers not only prevent illness and foster wellness in the most challenging populations, they produce innovative solutions to the most pressing health care issues in their communities. They reach beyond the walls of conventional medicine to address the factors that may cause sickness, such as lack of nutrition, mental illness, homelessness and opioid addiction. Because of their long record of success in innovation, managing health care costs, and reducing chronic disease, health centers have a proud tradition of bipartisan support in Congress.
In Michigan, there are 43 health center organizations caring for more than 640,000 individuals yearly.
Isabella Citizens for Health (ICH) is a Federally Qualified Health Center recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance as a Patient Centered Medical Home. The health center provides comprehensive primary care to people of all ages in the Isabella County area. Staff at ICH focus on improving a patient’s overall health and offer a variety of services not typically found in a medical office, such as integrated nursing case management and behavioral health services like outpatient therapy and counseling.
ICH opened their doors as Isabella County’s first community health center in 2013 with just one physician. Today, ICH employs eight primary care providers in two office locations in the Central Michigan Health Park in Mt. Pleasant. In 2017, ICH is expected to provide primary care to approximately 6200 unduplicated people and perform an estimated 18,200 patient visits.
Isabella Citizens for Health, Inc. Receives $2.1 Million to Continue Providing Primary Care to Residents of Isabella County
June 5, 2017
Mt. Pleasant, Mich. – Isabella Citizens for Health, Inc. (ICH) will be receiving an additional $2.1 million dollars of continued funding, over the next three years, to further the mission of providing the highest level of care, leading to an improved quality of life in Isabella County through assured access to primary health care.
The grant funding will be provided to the health center by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and & Human Services. HRSA is the primary agency for improving health and achieving health equity through access to quality health services, including providing funding for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Isabella Citizens for Health, Inc. is one of 39 FQHCs in Michigan. ICH is expected to be the primary care medical home to 6400 individuals and provide approximately 20,000 patient medical visits in 2017.
“As one of the founding members of the ICH board of directors, I can say that we are all proud of the establishment of this organization in our community, and now our recent recertification as the Federally Qualified Health Center here in Isabella County,” stated Steven Berkshire, EdD, President of the ICH Board of Directors. “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank the staff for their commitment to patient-centered medical care and their work in ensuring access to the highest quality of primary care for our community.”
“The creation of the health center has been one of the most significant happenings in health care at the local level. While we provide care to all patients, we are the safety net organization for individuals who are enrolled in Medicaid and Medicare, and those who are uninsured or underinsured,” said Jennifer White, Chief Executive Officer of ICH.
ICH follows the Patient-Centered Medical Home care model and provides comprehensive primary care to people of all ages, regardless of insurance status. The health center focuses on improving a patient’s overall health and offers a variety of services not typically found in a medical office such as integrated nursing case management and behavioral health services like outpatient therapy and counseling. These services are available to all people of all ages regardless of insurance status, age, race, color, socio-economic status, marital status, religion, gender, sexual orientation, housing status national origin, ancestry, physical handicap or disability, age, veteran status, or any other federally protected status.
ICH first became a recognized FQHC by HRSA in 2015. ICH opened their doors as Isabella County’s first community health center in 2013 with just one physician. Today, ICH employs nine primary care providers in two office locations in the Central Michigan Health Park in Mt. Pleasant.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number H80CS28352, Health Center Program This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS. Or the U.S. Government.
Mt. Pleasant, Mich. – Isabella Citizens for Health, Inc. (ICH) will be receiving an additional $2.1 million dollars of continued funding, over the next three years, to further the mission of providing the highest level of care, leading to an improved quality of life in Isabella County through assured access to primary health care.
The grant funding will be provided to the health center by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and & Human Services. HRSA is the primary agency for improving health and achieving health equity through access to quality health services, including providing funding for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Isabella Citizens for Health, Inc. is one of 39 FQHCs in Michigan. ICH is expected to be the primary care medical home to 6400 individuals and provide approximately 20,000 patient medical visits in 2017.
“As one of the founding members of the ICH board of directors, I can say that we are all proud of the establishment of this organization in our community, and now our recent recertification as the Federally Qualified Health Center here in Isabella County,” stated Steven Berkshire, EdD, President of the ICH Board of Directors. “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank the staff for their commitment to patient-centered medical care and their work in ensuring access to the highest quality of primary care for our community.”
“The creation of the health center has been one of the most significant happenings in health care at the local level. While we provide care to all patients, we are the safety net organization for individuals who are enrolled in Medicaid and Medicare, and those who are uninsured or underinsured,” said Jennifer White, Chief Executive Officer of ICH.
ICH follows the Patient-Centered Medical Home care model and provides comprehensive primary care to people of all ages, regardless of insurance status. The health center focuses on improving a patient’s overall health and offers a variety of services not typically found in a medical office such as integrated nursing case management and behavioral health services like outpatient therapy and counseling. These services are available to all people of all ages regardless of insurance status, age, race, color, socio-economic status, marital status, religion, gender, sexual orientation, housing status national origin, ancestry, physical handicap or disability, age, veteran status, or any other federally protected status.
ICH first became a recognized FQHC by HRSA in 2015. ICH opened their doors as Isabella County’s first community health center in 2013 with just one physician. Today, ICH employs nine primary care providers in two office locations in the Central Michigan Health Park in Mt. Pleasant.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number H80CS28352, Health Center Program This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS. Or the U.S. Government.
Isabella County Health Center Receives Perfect Score on Federal Site Inspection
June 16, 2016
Mt. Pleasant, Mich. -- Isabella Citizens for Health, Inc. (ICH), a Federally Qualified Health Center providing primary health care to residents of Isabella County, has successfully completed a site visit from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), ensuring continued funding from the Federal agency.
HRSA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for improving health and achieving health equity through access to quality services, a skilled health workforce, and innovative programs including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) via the Bureau of Primary Health Care. Health Centers receiving grant money from HRSA are required to be compliant with 19 program requirements in four general areas – need, services, management and finance, and governance, in order to receive a continuation of funding. ICH received no conditions against continued funding for any of the 19 program requirements – a rare achievement, especially for such a new FQHC.
The management staff at ICH credited much of the visit’s success to the Center’s staff.
“Meeting all 19 program requirements, without any conditions against the Center’s funding, is a testament to the exceptional people that make ICH’s success possible,” says Jennifer White, Executive Director at ICH. “I want to thank the staff, providers, and ICH’s Board of Directors, both past and present, for their time and dedication to our success. I am proud to be part of a team that has come together to create an organization from the ground up that will serve many, many people for years to come.”
“I am very proud of the team here at ICH. The visit results validated all the hard work and commitment to develop this much needed community resource,” says Michael McConnon, MD, Medical Director and Family Medicine Physician at ICH. “It was a positive learning experience and we are eager to continue improving the way we help people access primary medical care in this community.”
ICH opened a community health center in 2013 with the purpose of providing primary medical care and related support services to all people in Isabella County and the surrounding area. The Center became a FQHC in 2015 and is one of the 39 FQHC organizations in Michigan. ICH served 4,337 people in 2015, and that number is growing every day, especially with the addition of a new Pediatric office this past January.
“We are constantly working to recruit new providers and expand services to continue to increase access to primary medical care for people of all ages in central Michigan,” adds White.
ICH provides the full complement of primary health care services across all life cycles including behavioral health, dental, and the new site for pediatrics. These services are available to all people regardless of insurance status, age, race, color, socio-economic status, marital status, religion, gender, sexual orientation, housing status, national origin, ancestry, physical handicap or disability, age, veteran status, or any other federally protected status.
ICH is a Federally Qualified Health Center that follows the Patient-Centered Medical Home care model and provides comprehensive primary care to people of all ages in the Isabella County area. The Health Center offers a wide variety of services to patients, with a commitment to improving overall health. The Center’s mission is to provide the highest level of health care, yielding an improved quality of life in Isabella County through assured access to primary health care.
Mt. Pleasant, Mich. -- Isabella Citizens for Health, Inc. (ICH), a Federally Qualified Health Center providing primary health care to residents of Isabella County, has successfully completed a site visit from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), ensuring continued funding from the Federal agency.
HRSA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for improving health and achieving health equity through access to quality services, a skilled health workforce, and innovative programs including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) via the Bureau of Primary Health Care. Health Centers receiving grant money from HRSA are required to be compliant with 19 program requirements in four general areas – need, services, management and finance, and governance, in order to receive a continuation of funding. ICH received no conditions against continued funding for any of the 19 program requirements – a rare achievement, especially for such a new FQHC.
The management staff at ICH credited much of the visit’s success to the Center’s staff.
“Meeting all 19 program requirements, without any conditions against the Center’s funding, is a testament to the exceptional people that make ICH’s success possible,” says Jennifer White, Executive Director at ICH. “I want to thank the staff, providers, and ICH’s Board of Directors, both past and present, for their time and dedication to our success. I am proud to be part of a team that has come together to create an organization from the ground up that will serve many, many people for years to come.”
“I am very proud of the team here at ICH. The visit results validated all the hard work and commitment to develop this much needed community resource,” says Michael McConnon, MD, Medical Director and Family Medicine Physician at ICH. “It was a positive learning experience and we are eager to continue improving the way we help people access primary medical care in this community.”
ICH opened a community health center in 2013 with the purpose of providing primary medical care and related support services to all people in Isabella County and the surrounding area. The Center became a FQHC in 2015 and is one of the 39 FQHC organizations in Michigan. ICH served 4,337 people in 2015, and that number is growing every day, especially with the addition of a new Pediatric office this past January.
“We are constantly working to recruit new providers and expand services to continue to increase access to primary medical care for people of all ages in central Michigan,” adds White.
ICH provides the full complement of primary health care services across all life cycles including behavioral health, dental, and the new site for pediatrics. These services are available to all people regardless of insurance status, age, race, color, socio-economic status, marital status, religion, gender, sexual orientation, housing status, national origin, ancestry, physical handicap or disability, age, veteran status, or any other federally protected status.
ICH is a Federally Qualified Health Center that follows the Patient-Centered Medical Home care model and provides comprehensive primary care to people of all ages in the Isabella County area. The Health Center offers a wide variety of services to patients, with a commitment to improving overall health. The Center’s mission is to provide the highest level of health care, yielding an improved quality of life in Isabella County through assured access to primary health care.
