November 2024 Newsletter

Annual Meeting

Annual Meeting: November 14 at 1 pm (Virtual)

The Annual Meeting will be held on November 14 from 1 – 2 pm. All FCOM members must attend either in person or through their proxy form.

At last year's annual meeting, it was agreed that we move the Meeting to late Fall in order to have a budget that better reflected our expenses/contributions, membership, and give Board Members a better idea of what their next year’s schedules would accommodate.

Ann sent the agenda and the proxy form out to all members. This competed for should me emailed to ecady@fcomi.org if you are unable to attend.

If you did not get the emailed packet and cannot access it through the link above, email an Ann at aheler@fcomi.org for a copy.

The regularly scheduled Board Meeting will immediately follow the Annual Meeting, 2 – 3:30 pm as usual.

If your schedule permits, please stay for the Board Meeting. Both meetings will be recorded and AI transcribed.

FCOM Executive Director Search Continues

FCOM continues its search for its next Executive Director.

The position is part-time, 20 hours per week, and will be a very modestly paid position to start. Experience working with a non-profit organization and grant writing is strongly preferred. The official office is in Zeeland, but remote work is allowed. Ability to travel is a must. Please see the Position Announcement for more details.

If you know anyone interested, please email current executive director Ann Heler at admin@fcomi.org or call 248-635-8695 (FCOM line).

Congratulations

Mary Lewis, CEO of Dr. Gary Burnstein Community Health Clinic (Pontiac), is running for a seat on the National Association of Free Clinics Board of Directors! By the time this email goes out, she will be officially a NAFC Board Member!

Giving Tuesday, December 3rd

Check out the Giving Tuesday website, GivingTuesday.com, to help you plan your campaign! The website is very easy to navigate, and it offers an easy way to send pleas and reminders to your network. They also have samples of press releases and a specialized toolbox of ideas for nonprofits.

Good Luck!

The Phoenix Project

Wayne State University has created a Prevalence Profiler – Population Health Outcomes Information Exchange. Click here or on the logo above to be taken to the website.

From the website:

“Our Mission is to Connect communities with Information that Drives Positive Social changes in Pursuit of Lifespan Equality"

"The Prevalence Profiler presents up-to-date data on health metrics, from vitals to social determinants, to provide policy makers with a better understanding of the health of our population, and to provide interventionalists with data to guide implementation based on evidence of needs.”

From Ann:

I have attached the packet from the presentation. Please take a look. There is no hook…….use as is useful to you, and it is free!

Possible uses include: Information for prospective grants, information to help decide what new program(s) would be helpful in your area, information for communications with the community and legislators, and more.

If you have any questions regarding the Project, contact Samantha Bauer sbauer@wayne.edu.

Legislative Updates

This year, all of the State Representatives were up for election/re-election. The committee assignments will be final and posted by, we hope, the second week in January. We will then begin to meet with representatives and MIHHS to discuss increasing our appropriation.

Broadband expansion – We continue to support all the work being done to extend broadband capability across the state and financial assistance for those who cannot afford access to the internet. MIHI is laying more cable and increasing access. If your area continues to experience spotty access, please continue to contact MIHI at help@mihin.org. This is ongoing.

State Appropriations

We are still talking to relevant House and Senate members. See Legislative Update above.

Medicaid Unwinding Continues

This from the last CMS bulletin (9/26/24)

1. “•States must complete all unwinding-related renewals for all beneficiaries enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP as of the end of the continuous enrollment condition by no later than December 31, 2025. • Beginning with renewals initiated in January 2026, all states must initiate and complete renewals timely, consistent with federal regulations as described below, and routine state processing timelines.”

2. See Michigan DHHS's website for current information.

FCOM Facebook Page

Gentle Reminder: We want to share your successes!

If you have anything you would like to post on the site: fundraisers, events you are doing in the community, awards or news articles your staff or the clinic has received or written, please send the information to Elyse at ecady@fcomi.org so we can post it on our page.

Also, can we get our follower number up to 620? We have 596 now; please help us meet our goal. We're so close!