Madison Smith is an AmeriCorps member with the MPCA HealthCorps AmeriCorps program at Northwest Michigan Health Services in Traverse City, and she was recently named Michigan’s AmeriCorps Member of the Month.
The MPCA HealthCorps AmeriCorps program focuses on connecting low income and medically underserved populations to primary health care through patient engagement activities. MPCA HealthCorps AmeriCorps members strive to increase access to primary health care services through preventive care and chronic disease management, assisting Medicaid members in maximizing their health plan benefits, and addressing social determinants of health by eliminating barriers to care.
Madison is taking a gap year before starting medical school where she plans to pursue a specialty in pediatrics. During her gap year, she is dedicating her time and energy to making a positive impact in the lives of medically vulnerable populations. In the clinic, if a provider notices someone has food or housing insecurity, lacks health insurance, or has other barriers affecting their health, Madison will help connect the patient to available resources. She helps coordinate healthcare appointments, provides reminders and transportation assistance, and assists patients with completing necessary paperwork.
When the weather was warmer, Madison also provided health and medical outreach to the migrant community. Madison would visit the local migrant camps and Latino grocery stores to distribute information about COVID testing and vaccination. She also helped migrant women access free breast and cervical screenings through the Breast & Cervical Cancer Control Program (BCCCP).
Madison’s service in the community extends into her free time as well. “On my own time, I’m volunteering with hospice right now where I visit an older hospice patient each week and read to her,” she notes. “Additionally, I’m helping with COVID 19 testing for Safe Harbor which is one of our main homeless shelters here. The Traverse City Street Medicine team, which I’m somewhat a part of, helps provide weekly and sometimes daily testing and I’ve been helping with this to ensure our homeless community (who is already very at risk) is protected from COVID.”
Karen VanSchoick, the MPCA HealthCorps Program Director, said “I knew from our first time meeting that Madison was a great fit for our program. She is always generous with her time and wanting to help others any way she can. Madison always looks for opportunities to serve her community and often is the driving force to get things done.”
Learn more about MPCA AmeriCorps HealthCorps and other Michigan’s AmeriCorps programs making a positive impact in communities across Michigan. For more information about AmeriCorps, visit www.americorps.gov.
–Michigan.gov