PIQUA — Upper Valley Medical Center (UVMC)/Premier Health has raised the bar on its Miami County YMCA partnership with the opening of the new Piqua YMCA branch.

An open house to introduce the community to the new facility will be scheduled for mid-July.

Major funding support for the Piqua YMCA capital campaign was provided by the UVMC Parent Board of Directors through its community benefit fund at the onset of the building campaign in 2020, according to information provided by UVMC.

“The Miami County YMCA and UVMC/Premier Health have a long-standing relationship of working together. This collaboration has provided opportunities for improved health and wellness for Miami County residents for many years,” said Jim McMaken, executive director of the Miami County YMCA, in an UVMC newsletter.

“The UVMC Parent Board’s generous support further solidified that relationship and helped to ensure the new Piqua Branch would become a reality,” McMaken noted.

“We knew a project of this magnitude would take a strong commitment from our long-time health partner, and they answered the call,” he added. “Miami County is so fortunate that the UVMC Parent Board uses its Community Benefit Fund to support the infrastructure and programs that are making our community healthier and stronger.”

“UVMC has been a partner with the Miami County YMCA for many years. Both organizations can trace our mission-driven service to the community back more than a century,” said Kevin Harlan, UVMC president. “We commend everyone involved with the Piqua building campaign for the extraordinary work in bringing this dream to reality. It is truly transformative and positions the Y for much more good work in the decades to come.”

As the health partner to the YMCA, UVMC will provide on-site services and programs including athletic trainers at the facility several mornings per week who can screen injuries, provide consultation for issues/aches/pains individuals may be having, offer certain hands-on manual therapy and other modalities, and provide instruction on use of exercise equipment and exercise programs that may be helpful.

The athletic trainers will also be available to recommend and help coordinate referrals to other health care providers, such as a physician or physical therapist, when needed to help provide for continuous transition of care.

UVMC Sports Medicine performance/enhancement programs will be offered to help both competitive and recreational athletes strive to avoid injury and take performance ability to the next level.

A free one-month Miami County YMCA membership will be offered to UVMC/Premier Health patients approaching discharge from outpatient physical therapy who would like to use the YMCA as a continuum of care with or after discharge from therapy.

In addition, educational programs by athletic trainers, physicians and other health professionals will be offered on a wide variety of health and wellness topics for the community as well as YMCA members.

“The UVMC Parent Board is proud of this partnership and our commitment to support like-minded organizations that share the UVMC/Premier Health vision to inspire better health and help build strong, healthy communities,” said Steve Staley, chair of the UVMC Parent Board of Directors as well as the YMCA capital campaign.