EDITORS: May 6-12 is National Nurses Week.

ANN ARBOR—The Community Family Health Center in Ann Arbor offers a holistic approach to healthcare that has been embraced by residents of the city’s west side. The nurse-managed health care center treats the whole person?not just the illness?and that concept has been embraced by hundreds of people who have sought care here since the center opened in 1997.

The City of Ann Arbor recently recognized the center by proclaiming May 6 “Community Family Health Center Day.”

“Ann Arbor has been very supportive of the Community Family Health Center. We’re grateful for their support and the recognition,” said Elaine McIntosh, director of both the Community Family Health Center and U-M’s North Campus Family Health Services Center.

While the North Campus center is exclusively operated by the U-M School of Nursing, Community Family Health Center, or CFHC, is a joint operation of the nursing school and the U-M Health System Department of Nursing. The centers rely on two Community Advisory Boards to determine the type of services clients need, which includes everything from traditional health care services to support for domestic violence survivors.

“Our goal is to improve the quality of life of our clients. Because we are holistic in our nursing approach, we know what else is going on in the lives of our patients and work to keep their support and safety net strong. We have a community outreach coordinator and a social worker to keep us in touch with members of the community for ongoing input,” McIntosh said.

The North Campus Family Health Services clinic was begun in 1991 by Linda Daniel, an associate professor emerita of nursing. The center was a training ground for students in community health. It was originally operated as a drop-in center for mothers and children, but eventually became a primary health care clinic primarily serving international graduate students and their families.

CFHC opened in 1997 to extend services to residents of Ann Arbor’s west side, where a significant number of people are uninsured or underinsured. Approximately 30 percent of the population in Ann Arbor who earn less $30,000 annually live in the 48103 ZIP code area on the city’s west side. The median income in Ann Arbor is $68,100.

The centers are funded through insurance reimbursement for services, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the U-M School of Nursing and local and state grants. The city of Ann Arbor’s Community Development Department awarded CFHC a $5,000 grant.

Some commonly asked questions:

?  What’s a nurse practitioner?Nurse practitioners are registered nurses whose formal education and clinical training extend beyond the basic nursing licensure requirements. NPs are trained to diagnose and recommend treatment for common acute illnesses, disease prevention, management of chronic illnesses and a host of other primary care services. NPs at North Campus Family Health Services and Community Family Health Center are authorized MCare primary care providers.

?  How do nurse-managed health centers differ from traditional clinics?Nurse-managed health care centers differ from traditional clinics in that NPs not only treat acute and chronic illness, but emphasize prevention and health promotion. Studies show that nurse-managed clinics are cost efficient and patient satisfaction is high at nurse-managed clinics.

Community Family Health CenterNorth Campus Family Health Services CenterSchool of NursingW.K. Kellogg FoundationMCare