 With recent changes to executive orders by Governor Whitmer, Family Health Care (FHC) is working to bring back additional services that were limited during the onset of COVID-19. Many of these changes will take place starting on Monday, June 1. Those who are seeking medical and dental services deemed “non-essential” will now have the ability to schedule appointments. Pharmacies in three locations will now be open for in-person pickup. Those coming to FHC’s health centers for appointments may notice some changes. “Safety of our patients and staff is a top priority,” says Kathy Sather, President & CEO. “While you may not be able to see our staff’s faces due to the mask they wear, know they are happy and eager to help you.” Changes include pre-screening and door screening of all patients entering the buildings. Masks are required for everyone entering the building; cloth masks are acceptable. Red markers have been placed on the floor to promote social distancing, and chairs are spaced six feet apart. Some reception areas have also had new windows installed. Patients can also be assured that exam rooms are being thoroughly disinfected between patient visits. Staff will be taking all necessary precautions, including proper protective equipment, when interacting with patients. Future changes include the addition of ultraviolet light and air cleaning systems to exam rooms. Here is a current update on services and hours at Family Health Care Clinics: TELEHEALTH Telehealth services are now available for non-life threatening medical concerns, behavioral health appointments and urgent dental needs. For more information, contact the Family Health Care office nearest you. PHARMACY Curbside pickup service for those needing medications is available at all locations. For community members 60 and older, on our MedSync program, we now offer delivery within a 10-mile radius from our pharmacies in Baldwin, Cadillac, Grant and White Cloud. Please call your local FHC pharmacy if you need refills or have a prescription to pick up. Baldwin, Grant and White Cloud locations: Pharmacy is now open to the entry of those who have been screened at the main clinic entrance. Masks are required. Hours of operation for pharmacies are:
All FHC medical clinics are open, including the Child & Adolescent Health Centers (CAHCs) at Grant Middle School, White Cloud High School, and Baldwin Elementary. The CAHCs are open to all patients up to 21 years of age. If you have a scheduled medical appointment, staff will attempt to call you before the appointment to complete a mandated COVID-19 questionnaire.
The centers located in Baldwin Elementary School, Grant Middle School and White Cloud High School are open to all patients up to 21 years of age.
Offices are now open for most dental and hygiene appointments. Dental Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Open for in-office consultations and telehealth visits at all main clinics and Child & Adolescent Health Care Centers (White Cloud High School, Grant and Baldwin Middle School locations).
Prescription contacts and eye glasses that were ordered will be available for curbside pickup by appointment only. RADIOLOGY
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 From Newaygo County Parks Director Nick Smith:
Due to the latest developments with the Governor's Executive orders; as of this Friday, June 5, 2020, our campgrounds, with the exception of White Cloud, are open for recreational camping. You can make reservations online and over the phone now. Camping cabins and group campsites will remain closed until Friday, June 12. Please make your reservations online if possible as our phone lines are overloaded right now. -To prevent the spread of coronavirus, we are asking that campers follow the following guidelines: -Maintain at least 6ft of social distancing while using the public areas of the park -Masks are recommended in buildings that are open to the public -Avoid the use of public restrooms or showers if you're able. The less public interaction, the better -The dump station is open for use, and we recommend seasonals operate as self-contained as they possibly can. You are also welcomed to hire a private company to pump out your trailer if you wish. -Respect your neighbors and do not enter their campsite area unless invited. -No one should not be cutting through people’s campsites -All pets must be on a leash and clean up after immediately -Please use a credit card whenever possible to limit in-person interaction with our staff in the offices. -Park offices are closed to the public; please use the service windows for all transactions at this time. Playgrounds and other park amenities may be closed a little longer so please plan accordingly. Effective Friday, June 5, our normal cancellation policy will go back into full effect. Happy camping and welcome back!  2020 applications available, with July 22 deadline
TrueNorth Community Services' Tools for School has applications out for 2020. Tools for School provides students from qualifying families with new backpacks filled with essential school supplies. The applications are available online and are also being distributed through public schools across Newaygo County, with an application deadline of July 22. “We want every student to have a great start to school this fall by providing the resources kids need to achieve success,” said Mike Voyt, Volunteer and Special Projects Coordinator for TrueNorth. “We are expecting to serve more than 1,000 Newaygo County students this year.” To participate in Tools for School, students must be enrolled in a Newaygo County school in kindergarten through 12th grades for the 2020-2021 academic year or they must reside in Newaygo County in fall 2020. Tools for School’s 17th annual distribution is scheduled for early August at the TrueNorth Service Center, 6308 South Warner Avenue in Fremont. Families will be notified via mail regarding their application status and pick-up dates. The program’s sponsors are ChoiceOne Bank, The Gerber Foundation, and the Fremont Area Community Foundation. The Tools for School application can be filled out online at https://www.truenorthservices.org/Assistance/Childrens-Services/Tools-for-School. Print applications are available through Fremont Public Schools, Grant Public Schools, Hesperia Community Schools, and White Cloud Public Schools. The applications must be turned in or mailed to TrueNorth; emailed to mvoyt@truenorthservices.org; or faxed to TrueNorth at (231) 924-5594. For more information, contact Voyt at mvoyt@truenorthservices.org or (231) 924-0641, ext. 119.  Rotarians are a committed and creative collection of citizens. They are community builders, people of action and problems solvers according to their website https://www.rotary.org/en So what did the Fremont group do when their Tuesday meetings at the Dogwood Center suddenly, like so many other aspects of our everyday lives, came grinding to a halt? They solved the problem by taking action and building a community via Zoom. The group has been meeting virtually the past several weeks in order to keep the mission of Rotary rolling. Ms. Julie Burrell, of The Right Place (and a Rotarian of course), offered up these screenshots showing a candid look at the dedicated denizens of Rotary employing their technological talents toward providing service to others and thus helping to create a better world
FREMONT- Gerber Federal Credit Union awarded a total of $2,750 as a result of its Annual Essay Scholarship program. Entrants were asked to explain “What are your plans after high school and how do you plan to pay for them?” in 300-500 words. Entries were accepted from Gerber Federal Credit Union members currently attending their senior year of high school and planning to attend an accredited technical school, community college, trade school, four-year accredited college or university, or an apprentice program. Brevin Byrne from Fremont, MI is the First Place winner, he was awarded $1,750 and publication of his essay at www.gerberfcu.com. Adonijah Looy from Big Rapids, MI is the Second Place winner and was awarded $750. Jessica Sanchez from Newaygo, MI is the Third Place Winner and was awarded $250. Essays were submitted by email and mail. Our panel of judges included 4 educators from various school districts and a member of management at a local hospital. Judges evaluated the essays on Topical Relevance and Quality of Writing after all identifying information was removed.  Photo and story By Alicia Jaimes
SPOTTED: After leaving a heartfelt "We miss you" on the Grant Elementary School fence, a new sign can be seen by the high school. Because of the coronavirus, Grant seniors were unable to celebrate their achievement this month by walking across the stage surrounded by family and friends. Thankfully, those in Grant are not forgetting the great accomplishment these students have done. Congrats, Class of 2020!  LANSING, MICH. The COVID-19 case count being reported today is a significant increase over reports from previous days. Several factors are contributing to this increase including backlogged results being reported electronically into the Michigan Disease Surveillance System (MDSS) and increased testing at correctional facilities across the state. Today’s report of 1,191 cases includes cases from commercial labs Garcia, a lab with significant presence in Michigan’s correctional facilities and corporate environment, Orchard Technology and P4. Results from these labs were being entered manually, which led to a backlog, and are now being reported electronically into MDSS. This backlog in reporting did not result in delays of notification to individuals with positive results as those results were transmitted separately to health care providers who are responsible for notifying individuals about their test results. In addition, today’s report includes 73 deaths, 35 of which were identified during a Vital Records review of death certificates. Reviews of death certificate data are conducted by Michigan Department of Health and Human Services staff three times per week. As a part of this process, records that identify COVID-19 infection as a contributing factor to death are compared against all laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19 in MDSS. If a death certificate is matched to a confirmed COVID-19 case and that record in the MDSS does not indicate the individual died, the MDSS record is updated and these deaths are included with mortality information posted on the website.  Financial Assistance is a Core Service Provided by Spectrum Health—Now and Always
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., May 13, 2020 –Spectrum Health offers financial aid options to provide people with the care they need, regardless of ability to pay. This support has been a long-standing practice of the health system and will continue throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients can be evaluated for financial assistance at no charge. Regardless of the procedure or service, Spectrum Health financial counselors offer a wide range of assistance, from helping with price estimates to creating payment plans. Financial counselors can assist patients before they receive services to help address concerns they may have about paying for their care. Spectrum Health also assists patients in applying for state Medicaid assistance, local county agency assistance, and federal or other charitable programs. Patient financial responsibility for medically necessary, appropriate treatment may also be reduced or eliminated if a patient at Spectrum Health qualifies under financial hardship guidelines. “We believe health care services should be accessible to everyone, regardless of financial status,” said Sarah Clark, senior director, registration and financial counseling. “Our goal is to create a personalized solution for every patient while making sure they receive the care they need.” To qualify, patients may need to complete a written application and provide information that is necessary to verify financial information. Any patient in need of information on how to apply for financial assistance should call the Spectrum Health Financial Counseling department. There is no charge to speak with a financial counselor. Ways to connect:
 County Marina Manager Tim Bailey with his exhausted rescuee. Photo courtesy NC Parks Department Hardy Dam County Marina was the site of a dramatic water rescue as a fawn, perhaps playing a bit too close to the shoreline, ended up down a bluff struggling to pull itself from the water’s edge. Enter onto the scene Marina Manager Tim Bailey and NC Parks Director Nick Smith who succeeded in liberating the little being and putting it back into the woods for a welcome reunion with its Mom. Who doesn't love a happy ending?  Cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer's groups will meet online or via phone
Fremont, Mich., May 12, 2020 – Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial will hold its May support group meetings virtually as a way to continue supporting patients and their families while promoting greater convenience and social distancing. Participants can join these free sessions remotely using a smartphone, tablet, laptop, personal computer or with a telephone conference line.
For participants joining online, copy and paste the link into the browser to enter the sessions. “Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial is pleased to bring our support group sessions directly to patients, their families and caregivers,” said Shelly Klochak, RN, and facilitator of Gerber Memorial’s support groups. “Like all Spectrum Health facilities, Gerber Memorial is going above and beyond to maximize safety and cleanliness at all our locations. At the same time, we want people be able to share their experiences, be inspired and connect with others without leaving their homes.” Gerber Memorial will announce in coming weeks whether the cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s support group sessions in June will be held virtually. |
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