Molina Healthcare of Michigan and The MolinaCares Accord Invest $4.5 Million to Improve Health Equity for Underserved Michiganders
Molina Healthcare of Michigan ("Molina"), in collaboration with The MolinaCares Accord ("MolinaCares"), is launching the MolinaCares Michigan Health Equity Initiative, investing an initial $4.5 million in a multi-faceted, community-focused strategy to improve equity and health outcomes for underserved populations.
"With the commitment and partnership of community organizations, public health experts, local providers, and academics, this initiative aims to improve equity in health care access, safe living and care environments, housing, food security, and needs that must be met to improve quality of life," said Terrisca Des Jardins, plan president for Molina Healthcare of Michigan. "Our goal is that this initiative will serve as a model for care that can be replicated throughout Michigan and beyond."
"Every Michigander deserves equitable access to health care, housing, economic opportunity, and more," said Renee Canady, Chief Executive Officer of Michigan Public Health Institute and former member of the governor's Racial Disparities Task Force (RDTF). "The RDTF brought together dedicated public servants to tackle racial health disparities and save lives. We are grateful for Molina's announcement, which will further connect communities and Michiganders with innovative programs and local services offering the resources they need to thrive."
Molina is committed to serving and improving health outcomes for all Michiganders by working with providers and community-based organizations to implement innovative collaborations that address health equity and the social determinants of health, with initial activities focusing on maternal and infant health, housing and environmental health, access to care for underserved individuals, and academic partnerships for equity solutions:
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Maternal and Infant Health
Black women in Michigan are twice as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes as white women, and in Detroit, Black women experience infant mortality rates more than double that of Michigan's overall infant mortality rate. To address racial discrimination that contributes to poor maternal and infant health outcomes, MolinaCares presented a grant to the Southeast Michigan Perinatal Quality Improvement Coalition to expand implicit bias training for providers to improve patient communication, trust, and satisfaction. Additionally, Molina worked with community partners to develop a comprehensive action plan to provide doula and lactation services, virtual post-partum visits, nutrition education, and meal delivery services to members.
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Housing and Environmental Health
In 2022, more than 60,000 Detroit residents faced eviction. More than half of Detroit households with incomes below $35,000 pay well over the standard 30% of their income on housing costs. To help individuals experiencing housing insecurity, MolinaCares presented a grant to the Wayne Metro Community Action Agency to create the Save the Day Housing Fund, which will provide emergency rental assistance to assure the basic safety of a rental unit, and offer support services. Molina has also partnered with Neighborhood Service Organization to provide reimbursement for medical respite, and a housing incentive for permanent housing placement.
To address environmental health, Molina is supplying lead clean-up kits with water filters to member households with elevated blood lead levels. Additionally, Molina members with asthma who live in zip codes with high rates of air pollution have access to air purifiers, hypoallergenic bedding materials, and dehumidifiers.
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Access to Care for Underserved Individuals
Molina has launched multiple mobile medical unit partnerships in communities where medical visits are low and health needs are high. In partnership with Wayne State University Wayne Health Mobile Unit, Molina is providing Detroit area members with comprehensive services needed to improve health outcomes. Additionally, Molina funded the launch of the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services' new mobile medical unit to serve Dearborn area communities with health screenings as well as social determinants assessments.
Molina also funded screening and virtual care equipment for Federally Qualified Health Centers to expand capacity for eye exams, monitor for health failure and abnormalities as well as create connections to specialists. In addition, Molina is developing new collaborative initiatives with the Michigan Primary Care Association and its member health centers to enhance needs assessments and provider and social care connections for Muskegon area members. In partnership with Corktown Health, Michigan's first medical home focused on serving the LGBTQ+ population, Molina is providing comprehensive training to providers on topics specific to the LGBTQ+ community and supporting the build-out of a trauma-informed health care environment.
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Academic Partnerships for Equity Solutions
MolinaCares is collaborating with Michigan State University Institute for Health Policy and the University of Michigan School of Public Health to inform and build novel solutions to address factors that contribute to recurring local health disparities to advance health equity through a member advisory group and student health equity challenge, respectively.
About The MolinaCares Accord
Established by Molina Healthcare, Inc., The MolinaCares Accord oversees a community investment platform created to improve the health and well-being of disadvantaged populations by funding meaningful, measurable, and innovative programs and solutions that improve health, life, and living in local communities. The MolinaCares Accord funds such measures through The Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) established in 2020 by Molina Healthcare, Inc.
About Molina Healthcare of Michigan
Molina Healthcare of Michigan has been providing government-funded health care since 1997 toward the mission of improving lives and health for Molina members through high quality care. The Company serves members through Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare-Medicaid (Duals), and Health Insurance Exchange programs throughout Michigan. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, provides managed healthcare services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs and through the state insurance marketplaces. Molina Healthcare served approximately 5.2 million members as of June 30, 2023, located across 19 states. For more information about Molina Healthcare of Michigan, visit MolinaHealthcare.com.
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