Health Care Initiatives

Against the skepticism of many, Steve Yokich championed community health care programs in underserved communities. These programs unite employers, health care providers, unions and other community organizations in bringing cost-effective, quality health care to all families in a community, not just union families. Each Community Health Care Initiatives program is tailored to the needs of the local community.

Nick Bauer, now 18, had such profound allergic reactions each spring in Kansas City, Mo., that he wound up in the emergency room every year. Even though his mom, Terrie, is a registered nurse, she couldn’t convince his doctor that allergy shots just might work.

As a member of the coalition formed through the Community Health Care Initiatives program, Terrie participated in writing guidelines for physicians. For Nick’s last doctor visit, “I armed myself with the asthma guidelines and presented the doctor a copy.

“When he went into the same old, same old, I started pulling out pages. He finally threw up his hands and gave me the referral I needed to an allergist. Nick was subsequently placed on a new regimen of treatment and had the best allergy season since he was 6 or 7.”

Nick left for college in August, and mom thanked her lucky stars that she could send him off with a successful allergy program. “With Steve’s vision and his belief in the health initiatives you just know they make a positive impact in people’s lives,” said Terrie. “I know firsthand.”

The Center for Community Health Care Initiatives, which Yokich created in 1996, has eight projects operated jointly by the UAW with GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler in Michigan, Indiana, Delaware, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky and Ohio.