Corporate News and Events

Trinity Health Awards $700,000 to Community Health Programs

Novi, Michigan – Trinity Health has awarded more than $700,000 in grants to be shared by nine community health programs that work to improve the health status of at-risk populations.

“These grants support the commitment of our member hospitals to improve access to health care services among the most vulnerable and at-risk members of our communities,” said Sister Gretchen Elliott, Senior Vice President, Mission Integration, Trinity Health.“They bring people a step closer to receiving the proper care they need.”

The Trinity Community Health Fund (TCHF) is designed to address locally identified health-improvement priorities.The grants are used to fund health care practitioners, increase clinical capacity and access, encourage the development of health education in underserved areas and stimulate community-based collaboration.

Over $4.5 million in grants have been awarded to community programs that are operated by Trinity Health-owned or managed member hospitals since the program began in 2000.

Clinica Santa Maria, a clinic operated by Saint Mary’s Health Care in Grand Rapids, Mich., has used part of its multi-year grant award from 2004 to expand its medical staff and expand access and quality of care to underserved Hispanic persons.

“With these funds, we’ve been able to improve our ability to care for people who otherwise would have a difficult time receiving much-needed services,” said Virginia Moralez, RN, Regional Operations Manager of Clinica Santa Maria, said. “We appreciate Trinity Health’s support to positively impact the health and well-being of the Grand Rapids community.”

This year’s award recipients follow:

St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital, Pontiac, Michigan
Connect for Kids will ensure that medically and economically jeopardized children receive intervention services to prevent developmental problems.

Mercy Hospital - Cadillac, Michigan
The Medical Access Program will aid qualifying patients in applying for and receiving prescription medication from pharmaceutical companies.

Mercy Hospital - Grayling, Michigan
The Women’s Preventive Health Program will increase the percentage of women ages 50-69 receiving mammograms.

Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa, Mason City, Iowa
Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa will pilot an innovative project to improve the transition of chronically ill patients to self-care at home following emergency care or hospitalization.

Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, Boise, Idaho
The Saint Alphonsus School Health Program will expand school health services to six schools and coordinate health promotion and prevention education for the Boys and Girls Club.

Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan
St. Joseph Mercy Behavioral Services’ Low-Fee Clinic will provide mental health services to uninsured and underinsured adults, families and children.

Mercy General Health Partners, Muskegon, Michigan
The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) is a new program that coordinates community response to sexual assault victims, and enables access to follow-up counseling.

Saint Mary’s Health Care, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Saint Mary’s Health Care’s Diabetes Care Initiative will implement information technology systems at five ambulatory primary care sites as a means to improve diabetes care for homeless persons, Medicare/Medicaid recipients, and uninsured patients.

St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, South Bend, Indiana
The Standardization of Medical Assistance Program (SMAP) will improve access to medication assistance programs for patients.