Michigan Primary Care Association discusses progress

MARQUETTE — The Michigan Primary Care Association held a semi–quarterly regional board meeting earlier today. The Association has statewide membership for community health centers that provide physical and mental health services, along with substance abuse and dental treatment as well.

These health centers have been around for over fifty years and currently provide services to nearly 30,000 patients across the Upper Peninsula. The health centers are both federally and state assisted to a great extent, and because of these investments they can only be in medically underserved communities. While the association is statewide, they still understand the importance of taking good care of people in the U.P.

“The association recognizes the importance of our presence,” said Upper Great Lakes Health Centers CEO Don Simila, “not just in lower Michigan, but across here in upper Michigan as well.”

“The challenges of providing health services in the Upper Peninsula,” said Advantage Health Centers Executive Director Joe Ferguson, “we need to take that into consideration as we’re working with Lansing and we’re making our priorities as a membership association that it’s not all about what’s best in my community, but we represent all of the communities.”

The biggest topic at the meeting involved the Medicaid re–bidding process and how the association can re–structure to continue to provide the best service they can. Programs and projects in the areas of education, outreach training and grant compliance were also discussed.