Title
Resolution Authorizing Membership in and Commitment to Washtenaw Health Initiative (WHI) Charter 2015 Statement of Commitment and Appropriation of Membership Fee ($10,000.00) (8 Votes Required)
Body
Whereas, The Washtenaw Health Initiative (WHI) is a voluntary, county-wide collaboration of local leaders focused on improving health and healthcare in Washtenaw County with an emphasis on the low income, uninsured, and underinsured populations. The WHI brings together organizations to generate innovative ideas to improve health and healthcare in the county, identify and share information on gaps and opportunities, and coordinate and leverage resources;
Whereas, The Initiative’s recent successes include 1) facilitating a county-wide coalition on addressing overdoses and deaths related to opioid use, resulting in five overturned overdoses since the beginning of September 2015, 2) implementing an innovative program to address unmet mental health needs in primary care settings, and 3) coordinating agencies conducting health care coverage enrollment to the degree that Washtenaw County topped all counties in the state with the highest proportion of people enrolled in new coverage options compared to those eligible for coverage in 2013-2014, when 10,700 people in the county enrolled in Marketplace plans (in 2014-2015, 11,475 enrolled);
Whereas, There are an estimated 2,485 Ann Arbor City residents eligible for Medicaid or the new Healthy Michigan Plan but not enrolled;
Whereas, There are an estimated 1,298 Ann Arbor City residents eligible for tax credits to purchase coverage on the new Health Insurance Marketplace but not enrolled;
Whereas, Pursuing voluntary charter membership in the WHI is closely related to previous City efforts;
Whereas, It is advantageous for the City to become a voluntary member at this time to participate with a group on the forefront of recognizing and attempting to address current gaps that exist in the health care system, and as a way to participate with an organization committed to analyzing and preparing for changes that will occur in the County as provisions of federal health care reform take effect;
Whereas, A membership fee of $10,000.00 in FY16 will be funded through the Office of Community and Economic Development, and funding for a membership of $10,000.00 will be considered for each FY17 and FY18;
Whereas, Additional funding in the amount of $10,000.00 annually needs to be appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of Community and Economic Development’s FY16, FY17, and FY18 budgets for this and future membership fees;
RESOLVED, That City Council hereby approve participation as a voluntary charter member of the Washtenaw Health Initiative (WHI) under its Charter 2015-2017 Statement of Commitment (Charter);
RESOLVED, That the Mayor be authorized and directed to execute the Charter on behalf of the City; and
RESOLVED, That City Council appropriate the required membership fee expenditure of $10,000.00 in FY16 to be funded from the General Fund fund balance and direct that funding for this membership be budgeted in FY17 and FY18.
Staff
Prepared by: Washtenaw Health Initiative
Sponsored by: Mayor Taylor