DETROIT – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is awarding $1 million in grants to free clinics throughout the state to provide health services to individuals and families without health insurance.

With the state's unemployment rate at 15.3 percent, many residents are going without health insurance, according to officials. This year's grant program aims to help clinics provide important services like primary care and behavioral healthcare, case management, dental services, specialty and diagnostic care and prescription drugs.

"In these difficult times, free clinics are putting healthcare in reach for people who need it," said Lynda Rossi, vice president for social mission and public affairs for BCBSM. "Free clinics are a place for uninsured people to turn to for quality healthcare. Uninsured residents who get care in free clinics often otherwise would delay seeing a physician because of the cost. Delay often leads to more expensive care in emergency rooms and even hospital stays."

"Most of our patients are dealing with one or more long-term diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma," said Dave Law, executive director of the Joy-Southfield Health and Education Center in Detroit. "We also supplement our primary care with preventive health education and disease management strategies."

According to state officials about 2.5 million Michigan residents under age 65 went without health insurance at some time between 2007 and 2008. Many of them, along with the underinsured, can seek medical care from clinics instead of making a trip to the emergency room or forgoing care. In 2008, Michigan free clinics were able to provide an estimated 122,000 patient visits.

"With this grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan we will be able to expand our scope and quality of services while using health information technology to efficiently measure health outcomes. As a result, we will be able to deliver high-quality, low-cost healthcare to our patients at no cost to them," said Law.

The following clinics will receive a grant:

Southeast Michigan

• Brownstown Twp. – Wyandotte Clinic for the Working Uninsured
• Detroit – HUDA Clinic   
• Detroit – Joy-Southfield Health and Education Center
• Detroit – Order of Malta Medical/Dental Clinic
• Detroit – St. Frances Cabrini Clinic
• Detroit – University of Detroit Mercy Counseling Clinic
• Mt. Clemens – Mt. Clemens Regional Medical Center Medical Outreach Clinic
• Pontiac – Gary Burnstein Community Health Clinic
• Pontiac – Mercy Place Clinic
• Southfield – Tri-County Dental Health Council
• Warren – St. John Community Health
• West Bloomfield – Project Chessed (Jewish Family Services)
• Westland – Project H, Wayne County Family Center
• Ypsilanti – Hope Dental Clinic

Mid-Michigan

• Brighton – VINA Community Dental Center
• Hillsdale – St. Peter's Free Clinic of Hillsdale County
• Jackson – St. Luke's Clinic
• Lansing – Care Free Medical & Dental
• Pinckney – Faith Medical Clinic

Flint/Tri-Cities

• Essexville – Helen M. Nickless Volunteer Clinic
• Flint – Genesee County Free Medical Clinic
• Lapeer – Loving Hands Clinic
• Saginaw – Cathedral Mental Healthcare
• Saginaw – Community Prescription Support Program
• Saginaw – Healthy Futures of St. Mary's of Michigan

West Michigan

• Allegan – Seeds of Grace
• Battle Creek – Nursing Clinic of Battle Creek
• Coldwater – Presbyterian Health Clinic of Branch County
• Grand Rapids – Catherine's Care Center
• Grand Rapids – Health Intervention Services
• Grand Rapids – Oasis of Hope Center
• Grand Rapids – Project Access
• Hastings – Barry Community Free Clinic
• Holland – Holland Free Health Clinic
• Kalamazoo – Free Clinic of Kalamazoo
• Marshall – Fountain Clinic
• Three Rivers – Riverside Health Clinic
• Zeeland – City on a Hill Ministries Health Clinic

Northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula

• Big Rapids – Hope House Free Medical Clinic
• Cadillac – Cadillac Area Community Health Clinic
• Cheboygan – Northern Care Center
• Grayling – AuSable Free Clinic
• Manistee – Manistee Area Community Clinic
• Petoskey – Community Free Clinic
• Traverse City – Traverse Health Clinic
• Marquette – Medical Care Access Coalition Volunteer Clinic
• Sault Ste. Marie – Community Health Access Coalition Volunteer Clinic