PRESS RELEASE: GHP honors health care champions, community partnerships at annual awards ceremony

Photo Gallery available at end of release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, August 9, 2022
Shannon Ciszek, Communications Coordinator
Genesee Health Plan, 810.232.7740, sciszek@countyhealthplans.org

Health Care Hall of Fame Awards recognizes local professionals, organizations, and community leaders for strengthening access to health care in Genesee County, special remarks given by Congressman Dan Kildee

FLINT – The Genesee Health Plan (GHP) honored local health care champions, community partners and leaders for their commitment to increasing access to health care coverage in Genesee County during the 2022 Health Care Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony on Friday, August 5, at the Genesys Conference & Banquet Center in Grand Blanc, with special thanks to Huntington Bank as the official event sponsor.

Special guest, Congressman Dan Kildee, provided remarks on the importance of community partnerships, highlighting the continued need for Genesee Health Plan’s services and how it is needed now more than ever given the ever-changing health care landscape. Kildee has been a long-time supporter of GHP since the plan’s inception in 2001.

“It is an honor to celebrate the important work of the Genesee Health Plan. In the richest country in the world, affordable health care should be a right—not a privilege,” Kildee said. “I am proud to have secured federal funding to help the Genesee Health Plan expand their efforts to provide free assistance to those who need help signing up for health coverage. In Congress, I will keep fighting to deliver resources to our community to help lower costs and increase access to care.”

This year, Kay Doerr was inducted into the 2022 Health Care Hall of Fame for her dedication, advocacy and leadership that helped improve the health of the community. Her public health leadership in the community has spanned over three decades, as Doerr served on the Genesee County Board of Health where she led efforts to draft and pass a community supported health equity policy in Genesee County, one of the first in the nation. Doerr has worked tirelessly to pass policies addressing tobacco use reduction, both locally and nationally.

“Kay Doerr has been a pillar in our community and continues to fight to bring healthcare access to everyone,” said Domonique Clemons, Genesee County Commissioner Board Chairman. “Kay has dedicated years of service and I couldn’t think of anyone more deserving of this award.”

Doerr has played a central role in connecting Genesee County residents to GHP’s services, having served on the GHP Board of Directors from 2011 until her retirement in 2020. She also served as chairperson from 2015-2020. Doerr is proud to have served on the GHP Board because GHP is invested in promoting health, providing access to health care for the uninsured and forging community partnerships for the best delivery of services. She enjoyed serving as an “ambassador” for GHP, spreading the word on the range of services provided by the health plan. Without GHP, many people would fall through the cracks in terms of accessing health care.

“I deeply appreciate being inducted into the GHP Health Care Hall of Fame,” Doerr said. “It’s been an honor to be involved in the good work of Genesee Health Plan, and I’m proud to live in a community that values and supports access to health care.”

Other award recipients honored include:

Community Partnership Award:

The Community Partnership Award honors an individual or organization that joined GHP in an enduring partnership, worked hand-in-hand to improve wellness and health education, or supported quality, affordable health care for GHP members. Health Alliance Plan, Ascension Genesys Hospital, and Hamilton Community Health Network were this year’s official partner sponsors for the event. Omar Sims, Executive Community Liaison, Marketing & Community Outreach for Health Alliance Plan, introduced the Community Partnership Award.

• L. Jones Community Outreach Center: Since 2016, the R.L. Jones Community Outreach Center (COC) has been dedicated to promoting and maintaining optimal health and wellness for residents affected by the economy, Water Crisis, COVID-19 and beyond. The work of R.L Jones COC is led by CEO Sandra S. Jones. She works tirelessly to make sure the community’s “forgotten” residents –those who cannot get needed resources due to illness, disability, lack of transportation, or lack of financial resources – have what they need. Through a partnership with Mass Transportation Authority, 1,100 households in the Flint community get food and water delivered weekly to their homes. For R.L. Jones COC, the partnership with GHP allows it to provide more comprehensive care and assistance to the Greater Genesee County Community.

“The Genesee County community is fortunate to have such dedicated community leaders like Mother Sandra Jones who works tirelessly to ensure that everyone who comes through her doors receives the help they need and access to a variety of services and resources,” said Jim Milanowski, president and CEO of GHP. “Genesee Health Plan is honored to recognize and award R.L. Jones Community and Outreach Center because they are a crucial part of the Flint community.

Medical Leadership Award

The Medical Leadership Award honors a medical leader who provides exemplary quality of care, serves as a patient advocate, and demonstrates a commitment to strengthening health care in the community. Genesee Community Health Center and Genesee Health System were this year’s official awards sponsors for the event. Jean Troop, executive director of Genesee Community Health Center, introduced the Medical Leadership Award.

• Radhika Kakarala: For more than a decade, Dr. Kakarala has provided valuable healthcare to the patients of the Genesee County Free Medical Clinic (GCFMC), where she served as its Medical Director and as clinical professor at Michigan State University. She was also a faculty member in the McLaren Internal Medicine Residency program where she taught physicians about the difficulties uninsured patients in our community face in accessing healthcare. As Medical Director for GCFMC, Dr. Kakarala ensured that the uninsured and underserved patients in Genesee County received the immediate medical care they need. Dr. Kakarala and the Free Clinic Staff make sure that the uninsured become insured, as they refer uninsured patients to GHP to attain the health coverage that they qualify for.

“We are so incredibly proud of Dr. Kakarala and the work she has done to strengthen the relationship with Genesee Health Plan and other health care partners to improve patient health outcomes,” said Stacey Doyle, executive Director of Genesee County Free Medical Clinic.

Another highlight of the ceremony was listening to the 2022 Health Career Scholarship Contest award winners read impactful excerpts from each of their essays. GHP has partnered with Sovita Credit Union for the past three years to award two Genesee County high school seniors with $1,500 scholarships. Students were asked to write an essay explaining what they have learned from their exploration of their family’s health history, career field chosen, how learning about their family health heritage impacted their chosen field and if the coronavirus pandemic impacted their field of study. Below are the winners:

• Elizabeth Brandes graduated this year from Davison High School this year with her associate degree through the early college program. She is attending Grand Valley State University to pursue a degree in cardiovascular sonography. Her essay detailed her family history of cardiac problems.

• Trinity Rivers graduated from Flint Southwestern Classical Academy this year and is attending the University of Michigan Flint and is the first of her family to attend college. She is planning to study criminal justice with the goal of becoming a discrimination attorney for the NAACP. Trinity was mentored by GHP Community Health Worker Chylawn Jackson, who encouraged her to submit an essay into the contest. Rivers’ essay focused on her grandmother’s passing due to COVID-19.

###