In 2020, the State Health Department established 22 COVID-19 testing sites in Michigan. These sites have now been transformed into neighborhood wellness centers, which offer free preventive health care services and substance use disorder prevention services in marginalized communities that are at a higher risk for adverse health outcomes.
Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II visited one of the eight wellness centers in Detroit, Vernon Chapel A.M.E. Church, and stated that these centers are helping to remove barriers and address racial health disparities. He expressed pride in the efforts made to address these disparities and expand access to affordable health care.
The funding for these centers comes from a $17 million allocation from the 2024 state budget. The wellness centers have expanded their services to include blood pressure screenings, diabetes screenings, cholesterol screenings, substance use disorder services, flu testing, crisis support during disaster responses, and acting as warming and cooling centers.
Gilchrist highlighted that these wellness centers are a result of the work done to tackle racial disparities in COVID-19 cases and deaths. He emphasized that these initiatives showcase Michigan’s ongoing commitment to increasing health care access and supporting individuals and families in the state.
State Health Department Director Elizabeth Hertel joined Gilchrist at the Detroit wellness center, along with Tommy Stallworth, the former director of the Governor’s Coronavirus Racial Disparities Task Force. Hertel emphasized that these neighborhood wellness centers have a history of reducing disparities and providing no-cost health and wellness services in communities where there is a greater risk of adverse health outcomes. This initiative aims to meet residents where they are and connect them to essential health services and resources.
