ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – A new resource in Escanaba is making mental and physical healthcare more accessible for students.
Since 2019, Bay College and Public Health, Delta & Menominee Counties (PHDM) have been searching for a new way to meet students’ health needs.
“This came out of a collaborative effort that started with the Mental Health Taskforce, spearheaded by the ISD,” explained Amy Reddinger, Vice President of Arts & Sciences and Diversity, Equity, & Belonging at Bay College. “It’s a group that’s been really focused on Delta, Schoolcraft Counties and meeting those needs in many different kinds of ways.”
In 2023, they secured a planning grant from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
“For the past about eight months now, we’ve been in the planning mode of getting this health center up and running,” said PHDM Health Officer Mike Snyder. “Part of the requirements was that we were partially operational by January 1st.”
The Center for Youth Health & Wellness is currently providing limited services, including immunizations, family planning, health education, and Medicaid outreach.
The Center is open to more than just Bay College students, with services available to anyone ages 10 to 21. Reddinger says another way The Center is making healthcare more accessible is by ensuring patients pay no out-of-pocket costs.
“If a student has health insurance then we’ll bill their health insurance, but if they don’t, there’s not going to be a copay,” she said. “We’re a community college, and so we really are working on making this an inclusive space. Doesn’t matter where you live, doesn’t matter who you are or what your background is or what your needs are. We want everyone to feel welcome.”
According to Snyder, a social worker will soon join The Center to provide mental healthcare.
“We’ve seen the need for mental health services increase dramatically over the past four or five years, and services here in the U.P. are limited,” he said. “I think it’s important to provide the mental health services as well.”
In the coming months, The Center for Youth Health & Wellness will be adding new equipment, more interior walls, and additional services like physical health assessments. A grand opening is planned for April.
Snyder believes The Center will prove to be a valuable asset to the community.
“Bay College has grown to where they get students from outside the area that might not have a medical home here in the Escanaba area, so I think it’s important for that and also for the younger students to have access to healthcare and mental health services,” he said.
The Center for Youth Health & Wellness is open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., on Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Those interested in services available at The Center must make an appointment in advance by calling (906) 786-1672.
The Center for Youth Health & Wellness is located in Rooms 228 – 231 of the Catherine Bonifas Building. Visit The Center’s Facebook page for more information.
