Updates About Public Health

During a recent visit to a Neighborhood Wellness Center in Detroit, Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II highlighted the state’s $17 million investment into 22 centers aimed at reducing racial health disparities. These centers provide free preventive health screenings and are strategically located to serve underserved communities. The centers offer services including screenings for blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol, as well as flu and COVID-19 testing.

In addition to preventive health screenings, the centers also focus on substance use disorder prevention, piloting programs at seven sites with $250,000 from opioid settlement funds. These pilot sites offer free naloxone access and prevention education for combating the opioid crisis. Community health workers are available to assist with social determinants of health, including food, transportation, and housing. They also provide health counseling and referrals to primary care and senior services. This initiative is just one example of the state’s ongoing efforts to improve health care accessibility.

Find a Neighborhood Wellness Center near you.

The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a challenge to federal regulations surrounding the abortion medication mifepristone recently, which means continued access, most notably includes by mail to patients, to the medication here in Michigan. The decision, which rejected claims of health risks associated with the medication, disappointed challenge-advocates who had sought tighter restrictions.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer praised the ruling, emphasizing its importance in protecting reproductive rights as she stated, “Mifepristone will remain safe, legal, and available to Michiganders.“

This marks the first time the Supreme Court has addressed abortion since its 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

In acknowledgement of National Gun Violence Awareness Month, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Michigan State Police (MSP) have joined forces to distribute free firearm locks to Michigan residents. These cable-style gun locks, provided by Project ChildSafe, aim to prevent children’s access to unsecured firearms. With $500,000 in state funding from the Fical Year 2024 budget, 75,000 gun locks have been made available while supplies last. This initiative aligns with efforts to address the rising incidence of firearm-related injuries among children in Michigan and the United States. Public Act 17 of 2023 mandates that firearms are stored unloaded and locked with a locking device or stored in a locked box if otherwise accessible to children. You can pick up your free gun locks from one of the below locations near you:

• MDHHS county offices
• Local health departments
• MSP Post
• Project ChildSafe Police Partners

Instructions on installing gun locks can be found on the item’s package and at Project ChildSafe.