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On a February morning, 24 people listened intently as UM facilitators taught them better ways to manage their diabetes. Elsewhere inside the Jefferson Reaves, Sr. Health Center in Overtown, UM and Jackson Health System physicians and health care practitioners were dispensing treatment and counseling.

The diabetes class, like the rest of the busy Jackson Health System primary care facility, is open to anyone needing health care, regardless of ability to pay.

The faculty and staff who run the Jefferson Reaves, Sr. Health Center were commended at a February 15 news conference by a leader of the United Health Foundation who presented a $1 million grant to the Miller School’s Department of Family Medicine and Community Health to further support the foundation’s Center of Excellence at the facility.

The grant allows the center, a residency training facility for the Department of Family Medicine, to expand access, improve health care quality, and reduce health disparities. The award increased the foundation’s total grants for the center to $5 million.

Reed V. Tuckson, M.D., a member of the board of directors of United Health Foundation, made the check presentation to UM President Donna E. Shalala, Miller School Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., Marvin O’Quinn, president and CEO of Jackson Health System, Robert Schwartz, M.D., chair of the Department of Family Medicine, and other stakeholders.

“One of the things that this gift has done for us is to be able to demonstrate another model,” Shalala said. “Insurance is not the only model of providing world-class health care, particularly at the standard we want—and we want a standard that makes certain that everyone gets quality care, whether or not they have insurance.”

Said Dean Goldschmidt: “With United Health Foundation support we have been able to create a model that is truly unique and incredibly effective and safe for the patients.”