Stories indexed with the term ‘low-income families’

A new dental clinic for low-income residents of Washtenaw County will be moving forward, following final approval at the Feb. 19, 2014 meeting of the county board of commissioners. The vote was 5-1, with dissent from Dan Smith (R-District 2). Smith also had voted against the project when it was given initial approval on Feb. 5, 2014. Three commissioners – Felicia Brabec (D-District 4) Alicia Ping (R-District 3), and Rolland Sizemore Jr. (D-District 5) – were absent.

The project is estimated to cost $1.5 million, using funds from the public health Medicaid liability account ($814,786), the public health fund balance ($663,015) and Washtenaw Health Plan ($50,000). According to the county’s public health staff, 58,000 county residents either don’t have dental insurance … [Full Story]

Building on previous funding from the Kresge Foundation, Washtenaw County commissioners gave initial approval on Feb. 19, 2014 to apply for accept a two-year $226,357 ”Prescription for Health” grant from the nonprofit. It will fund a part-time staff position and requires a $54,250 match from the county’s public health department. A final vote is expected at the county board’s March 5 meeting.

The county’s previous funding for this program was a two-year, $361,519 Kresge grant from Jan. 1, 2011 through Dec. 13, 2012. According to the program’s website, the purpose is ”to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among patients with low income, and to build capacity of clinics to expand the traditional medical model to include the food system.” The program also aims … [Full Story]

Plans to create a dental clinic for low-income residents of Washtenaw County received initial approval at the Feb. 5, 2014 meeting of the county board of commissioners. The vote was 7-1, with dissent from Dan Smith (R-District 2). Alicia Ping (R-District 3) was absent.

The project is estimated to cost $1.5 million, using funds from the public health Medicaid liability account ($814,786), the public health fund balance ($663,015) and Washtenaw Health Plan ($50,000). According to the county’s public health staff, 58,000 county residents either don’t have dental insurance or on Medicaid dental insurance. However, only a few private dentists accept Medicaid. When up and running, the dental clinic is expected to serve 6,000 patients annually, including residents with income at up to 200% … [Full Story]

Washtenaw County commissioners have given initial approval to accept $185,654 in funds for the county’s weatherization assistance program. The unanimous vote came at the board’s April 17, 2013 meeting, with final approval expected on May 1.

The funding roughly equals the amount of federal weatherization dollars that the county received in 2012, which was a decrease of about 65% compared to 2011 federal funding levels. The current funding is allocated through the 2013 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The county last received LIHEAP funding in 2010, but has received weatherization grants from other federal funding sources in the intervening years.

For the period from April 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014, the program is expected to weatherize 27 homes. According … [Full Story]

The Washtenaw Health Plan has announced open enrollment in April for no- or low-income adults ages 19 through 64. The program is offered by the Michigan Dept. of Human Services and managed locally under the Washtenaw Health Plan as “Plan A.” [Source]

Washtenaw County commissioners voted to apply for a $108,364 federal grant – available through reimbursements from the Michigan Dept. of Education – to fund a summer food program for children of low-income families. The program will be supplemented with $37,386 in additional federal Community Services Block Grant funding. The action came during the board’s June 6, 2012 meeting.

The program will serve about 13,000 breakfasts, 37,000 lunches, and 21,000 snacks to children at 12 sites throughout the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area, including schools, recreation centers, community centers, or other community-based organizations. It will be administered by the office of community and economic development, a joint county/city of Ann Arbor unit. The county has administered this program for more than two decades, according to a staff memo.

This … [Full Story]

Discussion at the Feb. 24 briefing for the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners covered a broad range of topics, including health screenings for the 50-100 refugees who settle in the county each year, federal funding for low-income families, a drug discount card for local residents, and a bond refunding for financially-strapped Sylvan Township. Some commissioners had questions and concerns about all these topics.

The briefing, which previewed items on the March 3 board agenda, drew more than just commissioners and administrative staff. In addition to The Chronicle, two others attended Wednesday’s meeting: A candidate for the 11th District county board seat, currently held by Jeff Irwin; and the county treasurer, Catherine McClary.

McClary was there to answer questions related to two resolutions she had proposed – only one of them made it onto the March 3 agenda. In discussing the resolution that will be considered on Wednesday, McClary noted that delinquent taxes are on the rise, expected to reach around $40 million this year – more than double the amount just five years ago. [Full Story]