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InterCare locations are shown in blue. WIC only locations are shown in gray.
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For Immediate Release
Contact: Velma Hendershott The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area recently announced that InterCare Community Health Network, which operates a health center on James Street for community residents and migrant farmworkers, is the recipient of a grant to expand access to health care for the uninsured. InterCare delivers primary medical and dental care at its James Street location to almost 9,000 individuals each year. The health center is home to five physicians, two dentists and several mid-level providers. InterCare has served the Holland community and surrounding area for over 30 years. Based on its mission of providing equal access to quality health care, InterCare offers a sliding fee discount program for the uninsured and those unable to pay. The primary purpose of the funding from the Community Foundation will be to close the gap for InterCare's patients who need care beyond its own walls. This would include services from medical specialists, oral surgeons, prescription drugs, and radiography. Although InterCare receives some funding for its sliding fee program from the federal Department of Health and Human Services, that money is too limited to cover needed services from outside providers in the private sector. One of InterCare's longstanding goals is to improve the health of certain population groups that are at highest risk of premature death, disease, and disability. In Holland, this target group tends to be Hispanic, a large segment of whom are settled-out migrant farmworkers. Approximately 90 percent of InterCare's patients are at or below 200% of the poverty level. Over half are uninsured. Often these are the individuals who have the most restricted access to needed specialty treatment and diagnostic services. It is projected that InterCare's funding from the Community Foundation will support improved access for up to 250 individuals this year. InterCare offers a full range of medical and dental services at its Holland practice. It also provides prenatal and obstetrics care and is the WIC agency for Ottawa County as well. InterCare operates four other medical and dental practices in southwest Michigan. Like hundreds of other community and migrant health centers across the country, it seeks to ultimately reduce health disparities between population groups within the communities it serves. According to Velma Hendershott, InterCare's CEO, "InterCare's Holland providers are deeply grateful to the Foundation for their recognition of this need in our community and for their help in addressing it." InterCare's Holland physicians include Drs. Lana Zarlenga, Odalis Miedema, Wendy Balivet, Peter Christensen, and Christa Murphy. They are assisted in the practice by Julie Ludwig, Certified Nurse Midwife, and by the outside services of Dr. Mark Lenters. InterCare's dental providers include Dr. Bill Riggert, Dr. Priyha Banahatti, and Chris Sandera, Registered Hygienist. For more information about InterCare's services please call 399-0200. |
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