The Saint Clair County Advisory Board of Health voted to support a September 18 memorandum from county medical director Dr. Remington Nevin recommending the department pivot from operating school-based primary care clinics toward facilitating private community health organizations and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) to deliver such care.

Public commenters from Yale and Port Huron said the decision risks losing school-based teen health clinics that have served low-income students for decades and that failing to accept continuation grant funding could forfeit roughly $180,000 in federal/state resources for the county. "If Dr. Nevin won't oversee the clinic there, then we ought to hire somebody that will," a former Yale mayor told the advisory board during public comment.

Nevin's memo argued that operating primary care is not a core function of local health departments, highlighted quality-assurance issues at some temporarily reduced clinics, and recommended engaging FQHCs and other community partners to expand primary-care access. Board debate focused on timing — the memo arrived after some grant deadlines — and on whether adequate replacement arrangements existed. Health officer Liz King confirmed she had communicated with MDHHS and noted MDHHS understood the county's position; several board members urged the department to continue outreach to FQHCs, including Great Lakes Bay and Community First, to seek alternatives.

The motion to support the Sept. 18 memorandum passed by roll call (Leanne Klink: yes; Dawn Folk: yes; Marie Mueller: no; Carolyn Richards: yes; Steven Smith: yes; Monica Standell: no; Kevin Watkins: no). Board members asked staff to help Yale and other districts explore partnerships and said the department should use its facility space and grant tools where appropriate to encourage private providers to expand into underserved areas.

Board direction: staff to continue conversations with FQHCs and report back on feasible transition options; the board did not adopt any new county-run clinic policy at the meeting.