Category: Pedernal

Michigan United’s own Pastor Monica Villareal was in the Flint Courier News. She recently spoke at a meeting of the Genesee County Board asking how they plan to manage in the light of major cuts to social services during the second Trump administration.

Below you will find an extended excerpt:

“Genesee County residents and local organizations are raising urgent concerns about proposed federal cuts to Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which would devastate critical health and social services across the region. With 28% of Genesee County residents relying on Medicaid, these cuts threaten the stability of hospitals, mental health services, senior care and community programs that serve children, veterans and people with disabilities.

Ahead of the March 12 Genesee County Board of Commissioners meeting, community leaders are calling on local officials to outline how they plan to protect residents from the disastrous impact of these proposed cuts.

“These cuts will push Genesee County’s healthcare system to the brink,” Reverend Monica M. Villarreal of Michigan United said.

She added: “We’re talking about seniors losing in-home care, parents scrambling to find doctors for their kids, and hospitals overwhelmed with patients who can no longer afford preventative care. Without immediate action, families will face impossible choices between medical bills and basic needs.”

Michigan United said proposed cuts would have far-reaching consequences, including:

• Employment cuts at hospitals & increased ER burdens: Cuts to Medicaid funding would force hospitals to absorb greater costs, leading to increased emergency room visits and rising medical debt.

• Loss of maternal and child health support: 56% of births in Genesee County are covered by Medicaid. Without these funds, prenatal and postnatal care would be at risk, putting mothers and infants in danger.

• Senior & disability services at risk: Nursing homes, in-home care providers, and hospice services would face severe funding reductions, impacting thousands of elderly residents and individuals with disabilities.

• Food insecurity & economic fallout: Over 82,000 residents rely on SNAP benefits, and thousands of families depend on TANF for basic needs. Cuts to these programs would lead to increased hunger and financial hardship in the community.

“We cannot afford to be silent while the federal government guts the programs that keep our communities afloat,” Eileen Hayes, executive director of Michigan Faith in Action said.

Hayes added: “This will hit hardest in places already struggling—Flint, Mt. Morris, and other areas where people rely on Medicaid for basic healthcare. If these cuts go through, the fallout will be catastrophic, and we will hold our leaders accountable for what happens next.”

“Medicaid cuts will hurt our economy as a whole,” said Kelly Bidelman, director of the Center for Civil Justice, a Flint-based nonprofit organization that advocates for people living in poverty.

Bidelman added: “Medicaid coverage fuels employment growth, reduces the rate of poverty and decreases medical debt.

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