Projects & Programs

GIVN

GIVN currently has a well-functioning Board of Directors and CEO with many years of planning and administrative experience.  GIVN also has an excellent cadre of well-trained consultants from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Medical College of Wisconsin, and the University of Wisconsin.  Since receiving designation as a Federal non-profit organization, GIVN has worked closely with its members and especially its university partners to design several programs to directly address gaps in services as documented during the GIVN strategic planning project.  These included expanding access to primary care and behavioral health services, addressing women health and maternity care, and most importantly develop or recruit physicians, social workers, and other health professionals to work in Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.

As described in the network’s minutes, which are an attachment to the website, since the GIVN Strategic Plan was completed, GIVN has held monthly membership and board of director meetings.  Members of the board attend all meetings and work with staff and consultants to resolve any technical issues regarding programs or services.  A substantial part of each meeting over the past year has been dedicated to discussing and approving potential projects consistent with findings of the networks strategic plan.  Listed below are those projects and services that have been discussed and approved by the GIVN Board of Directors as of September 1, 2026.  In all cases they involve the development of grant proposals that will be drafted by the staff of GIVN and approved for submission by the board.

 

Awards

  • 1

    Charles E. Kubley Foundation for depression education, referrals, and provider data collection. $12,000 grant was approved on 5/1/26 for community education and other activities.

    • Awarded on 5/12/26 - In Process

  • 2

    Social Work Program with the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee School of Social Work.  A Wisconsin Rural Health Initiative Grant of $1.34 million was approved on July 2nd 2026 to establish a regional social work (MSW) training program for Northern Wisconsin.  GIVN will provide program coordination and student recruitment among  other activities.

    • GIVN will receive $80,000 annually based on a sub-award with the University.

  • 3

    SSG Fox VA Suicide Prevention Grant.  On 6/12/26, GIVN applied for a $750,000 one-year VA suicide prevention grant.  This grant would allow GIVN to hire seven staff to         provide services for veterans at high risk of suicide.  Services will include case management, patient education, and benefits counseling among many other services. Three veteran peers and a veteran peer specialist would be hired under the grant.  

    • Award of SSG Fox Suicide Prevention grants is anticipated on 9/29/26.

  • 4

    Opioid Planning and Development.  On July 8th GIVN completed a HRSA Opioid planning grant that it was unable to submit due to registration requirements. GIVN will include this same $100,000 grant in its state opioid funding request. The purpose of the HRSA grant is to build partnerships and develop the capacity to implement, and sustain substance use disorder treatment for rural communities based on approved action plans.

    • This project would likely begin on or about March 1, 2027.

  • 5

    Care Coordination Grant. GIVN applied for a Wisconsin Transformation Care Coordination planning grant on 8/21/24.  Funding will be used for the planning of GIVN’s services to include a primary care clinic, behavioral health telemedicine, and maternity care. 

    • GIVN’s planning grant applications are submitted on August 21st, 2026 in the amount of $125,000.

  • 6

    WRPRAP Feasibility Study Grant with WINC and WRCGME.  On 9/14/26, GIVN, in collaboration with WINC and WCRGME, applied for a $75,000 Rural Residency Assistance grant.  This grant will allow GIVN to apply for a five year Wisconsin GME grant in the amount of $719,290 and to implement a family practice rural training track (or RTT) program that will train and place 12 family practice physicians in Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan by 2031.

Total Potential Grant Funds to be requested by GIVN in Fiscal Year 2026/7 = $1,142,000

Priorities

On 8/14/26, the GIVN Board of Directors asked staff to complete an update on the progress being made by the network in addressing the highest priority needs of Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan communities based on the network’s strategic plan.  As a result, the table below was developed and shared with the board for its September, 2026 Board Meeting. The one change made to the most urgent and immediate health care needs of the service area was the addition of a new goal #3 regarding the establishment of a family practice residency program for Northern Wisconsin.  During the completion of the strategic plan, it was not known that state funding would be available for a residency program feasibility study or that the Aspirus-Wausau residency program would be willing to work with GIVN recruit and train greatly needed family practice physicians.  Thus, this goal was added on July 1, 2026.

Current Unmet Health Care Plan of Action Current Status
1. Expand access to primary care for medically underserved communities to include a sliding fee scale clinic. Pursue state trans-formation funding to establish clinic GIVN has applied for a WI Transformation planning grant
2. Establish a dental hygiene program to significantly improve access to dental care to include veterans and others. No. Michigan hygiene program likely. Plan is to expand providers Working to equip KM Dental as regional dental triage center
3. In collaboration with Aspirus Health and WINC, establish a family practice rural training track program for No. Wisconsin Complete feasibility study for RTT, submit State GME proposal Work with Aspirus and WINC who will be institutional sponsors.
4. Expand access to behavioral health services and psychiatric services to initially include telepsychiatry services Establish on-site and regional telehealth program with UWM Ongoing planning with UWM for 2027 coordination grant
5. Assure access to women’s health services to include maternity care that may include case managers, midwives, or other staff Complete a study of how to address issues for state funding Include services for GIVN or state funding request by 3/1/27
6. Establish substance abuse counseling and treatment services to include opioid addictions based on GIVN planning grant Submit HRSA planning or state opioid grant for planning project Use plan to establish opioid treatment, and peer support
7. Encourage universal depressing screening and establish suicide prevention programs for veterans, vulnerable seniors, and others Complete Kubly grant, encourage screening, for all at risk patients Implement VA grant and begin prevention; community education
8. Assure access to medication assisted treatment and for patients with dual diagnoses Based on results of opioid planning grant establish services Seek long term state opioid funding based on planning results
9. Work with providers to establish cost effective and certified childcare as part of planned youth services of the network Begin planned series of provider meetings to address needs Assure access to certified daycare to families in need
10. Establish services for seniors with disabilities, dementia or other needs including transportation and health care (Note: Currently working with UW and Dr. Shenkel on this initiative) Complete studies with UW to address needs of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients Develop services to address documented needs of region’s large population of older residents