InterCare Community Health Network has served the communities of west and southwest Michigan since 1972. Founded as BCV Health Services to represent the Michigan counties of Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren which it originally aimed to serve, InterCare’s 45 years of operation are a testament to the resilient nature of this Health Center. The Center was born to respond to an obvious need for care amongst the area’s migrant farmworker population since Michigan is the sixth largest user of farmworker labor in the nation, and southwest Michigan accounts for about 75% of the total farmworker labor force migrating to the State each year. Farm work is dangerous, and when injuries and illness occurred in the early 1970’s, The Center was born to respond to an obvious need for care amongst the area’s migrant farmworker population since Michigan is the sixth largest user of farmworker labor in the nation, and southwest Michigan accounts for about 75% of the total farmworker labor force migrating to the State each year.
the workers had few places to access care because of the largely rural nature of the area and limited number of providers available or willing to treat them. InterCare’s grassroots beginnings to serve this gaping need were championed by numerous passionate individuals, including Elvira Solis Martinez, Dolores Solis, Dr. Robert Locey and Guillermo Martinez. Their aim was clear -- improve access to health care for migrant farm workers and other seasonal workers which the Michigan agricultural industry was so dependent upon.
While the need was obvious, InterCare struggled to establish itself against great odds. The Center’s focus on serving the migrant farmworker was not initially recognized as a community priority. The migrant population was subject to local prejudices, and in aiming to serve farmworkers InterCare itself faced community opposition and acts of vandalism in the early days. Consequently, the organization struggled for legitimacy for years.
What began as BCV Health Services, with an initial service area of just three counties, has grown continuously since its inception. From its initial migrant focus, InterCare moved on to identify underserved community resident populations in several rural areas and one inner city location. It now serves nearly 50,000 patients per year with a total of over 150,000 encounters at six locations in five counties. The migrant population was subject to local prejudices, and in aiming to serve farmworkers InterCare itself faced community opposition and acts of vandalism in the early days.
It has also added services such as dental care, prenatal care, a maternal and child health program, as well as a breast and cervical cancer control program. InterCare also operates the fourth largest WIC program in the State of Michigan and provides other special services including mobile medical and dental care, nursing outreach, and behavioral health.InterCare is the organization’s third name, reflecting its growth since 1972 both in services and the diversity of its target communities. It also recognizes the Center’s philosophy that everyone has the right to equal access to high quality health care.
The expansion of its service area and target populations has not prevented InterCare from staying true to its roots of increasing access to health care for migrant farm workers and other seasonal workers. InterCare, through its outreach program, still supports traveling nurses that visit the migrant housing camps in order to ensure that all members of this underserved population can access care. The ability to build on initial strengths in order to identify and address new goals is one of InterCare’s many strengths. Its survival demonstrates the passion of its staff and Board members. It illustrates the power in recognizing a problem, defining a solution, and not letting any obstacle thwart its creation.
The vision of the staff and leadership guided InterCare through its tumultuous beginnings and ensured it could continue to provide care to a badly underserved population. While InterCare once lacked community support, it is now recognized as a valued player and partner in increasing health care access and reducing health disparities to many diverse population groups throughout a large geographic area. InterCare is not only part of the community but it is also part of families. Velma Hendershott, the daughter of founding members Elvira and Dolores Solis, has served with the organization since 1977 and as CEO since 1986. With InterCare’s longstanding advocacy and commitment, the legitimacy and necessity of serving the health care needs of all peoples is no longer questioned or criticized but is seen as an important contribution to the health and well-being of the entire southwest Michigan community.
