Michigan Children Have a Champion in Their Corner

DETROIT, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Detroit-based Health Plan of Michigan (HPM)  took the vital first step to initiate reimbursement for children to attend a structured group program addressing Childhood Obesity. Fit Kids 360 (formerly known as The Cherry St Health Services' Fit & Trim Kids) is now in its 7th year of providing these services.  The program involves a 7 week,  2-hour - one day a week session which incorporates evidenced based strategies to address Behavior Modification, Nutrition, and Exercise in a fun and interactive setting. The program is conducted by a Pediatrician, a Registered Dietician, and a Personal Trainer.  The classes are free to any child 8-16 years of age in the community who has a BMI > the 85th Percentile. Transportation, mentors, and interpreters are provided.

In 2009, Cherry Street shared its program with the Children's HealthCare Access Program (CHAP) and in 2010, a collaboration of community leaders formed a coalition to address the epidemic of childhood obesity in the Grand Rapids community.  Now more attention is being focused on the efforts of Fit Kids 360 including Health Plan of Michigan and its representative, Melissa Kuiper, who listened and took special interest in funding our efforts.  Health Plan of Michigan has expressed their eagerness to finalize resources to sustain the program for their members and has agreed to provide payment to Cherry Street Health Services to carry on this program.

Cherry Street Health Services, Fit Kids 360 program participants and providers thank Health Plan of Michigan in taking the first step in committing to their members a resource and opportunity to become healthy and to promote a future of well being.

Health Plan of Michigan is the largest Medicaid HMO in the State of Michigan, providing health care services to over 268,000 Medicaid enrollees through a contract with the Michigan Department of Community Health (DCH). HPM is a privately owned and physician managed Medicaid health plan. Its corporate headquarters is located in Detroit, Michigan. Currently HPM operates in 64 Michigan counties. In 2009, HPM was ranked among the Top 10 Medicaid health plans in the country, according to U.S. News/NCQA's America's Best Health Plans. The company has attained an NCQA rating of "Excellent" which is the highest accreditation rating that can be obtained by a managed care organization. For more information, visit http://www.hpmich.com.

SOURCE Health Plan of Michigan