The Gogebic, Iron, and Vilas Network (or GIVN) was established in 2022 by a group of local officials who were concerned about access and the quality of health care available to residents of Northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  After several planning meetings involving these officials, it was decided to establish a two-state rural health network based on models proven successful in several Western states.  Initial meetings with the town governments of Presque Isle and Winchester, Wisconsin found them supportive of the development of any programs that might assist the large number of seniors who were living and moving to their communities.

          Following these meetings, a core group of local officials and interested citizens began working together to establish a public non-profit health network and in November of 2023, GIVN was approved as a state non-profit association. Starting in the Fall of 2022, members of the network’s core group began holding meetings with medical providers across the network’s planned three-county service area.  These included several Indian tribes, five local hospitals, county social service agencies and health departments, as well as several for-profit vendors including local dentists.  Because there was no similar health network in Northern Wisconsin there was a great deal of confusion about what a health network was and how it could benefit them.  Many of the 20 organizations contacted in 2023/4 thought they were being approached by a regional insurance company that had a similar name (Network Health). Although only three organizations contacted agreed to membership in the network, a great deal was learned about the health and social service needs of the service area during these meetings. In November of 2023, GIVN was approved as a state non-profit association, and established its first Board of Directors for the network. Bylaws and other documents were completed to allow the GIVN network to submit a HRSA planning grant on January 26th, 2024.  This grant was awarded to GIVN on September 30, 2024.

Since establishing the GIVN network, the need to collaborate to address the many and varied health care needs of the service area has started to come into better focus.  The three counties served by GIVN have approximately 45,000 residents. Approximately 37% of this population (16,650) is comprised of seniors aged 60 and older. In addition,  11% of the service population (4,850) are veterans. There are large numbers of low-income households, and citizens with disabilities (8%).  Access to health care, including behavioral health services, is a significant problem across the service area. The two counties in  Wisconsin served by GIVN have high rates of chronic disease, substance abuse, and mental illness, but limited access to services through the Wisconsin Badger care system.  Services in Michigan are limited to state residents only and there is only one private practice psychiatrist and few other behavioral health providers to address these needs.

          In March of 2023, the GIVN network established four priority areas for service delivery.  These were: 1.) Senior services under the Older Americans Act, 2.)  Locally delivered primary health, 3.) Expanded regional emergency medical services to include paramedic level care, and 4.) Expand transit to areas of the service area not now served.  Since that time two additional areas of need have been documented.  These are: 5.) Mental health and substance abuse services to include medication assisted treatment and treatment of patients with dual diagnoses, 6.) Training of program managers, peer navigators, community health workers, and grant writers.   The GIVN’s networks FY 2025 planning grant will provide GIVN with the expertise and information it will need to address the many and varied health and social service needs that exist within the three counties served by GIVN over the next five years.