Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 13, 2022

CONTACT: Chelsea Wuth, 517-241-2112, [email protected]

Hometown Health Heroes and Jean Chabut Policy Champions honored by Michigan Public Health Week partnership

LANSING, Mich. – As part of National Public Health Week, ten individuals and organizations will be presented with the 2022 Hometown Health Hero and Jean Chabut Health Policy Champion awards for their contributions to protecting and improving the health of Michigan.

Hometown Health Hero awards are presented every spring as part of Michigan Public Health Week.

“Our Hometown Health Hero awards are a way for us to highlight selfless and dedicated champions of public health who are making incredible efforts to improve the lives of Michigan residents,” said MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel. “We celebrate all efforts, no matter how small or large, of health care professionals who make a positive impact on our state.”

2022 Jean Chabut Health Policy Champion Award

There are three recipients this year of the Jean Chabut Health Policy Champion Award. All share the same profession: they are health officers for local health departments in Michigan. These individuals were nominated either by a member of their staff or members of their community. They have demonstrated an untiring commitment to the health and safety of their communities.

Martha Hall, Lenawee County Health Department

Martha serves as the leader of the county health department and has been at the forefront of Lenawee County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. From the start of the pandemic in February 2020, she has worked tirelessly to protect local residents and has been the guiding force behind all efforts made by the Lenawee County Health Department to slow the spread of COVID-19. Martha has focused efforts on providing personal protective equipment to health care workers, providing consistent communication to the community offering best practices and up-to-date information to keep residents safe from COVID-19, increasing health department staffing levels to provide adequate case management and protecting vulnerable community members by organizing mass vaccination clinics.

Kathy Moore, Public Health Muskegon County

Kathy collaborated with community partners in the Muskegon area to make sure information was continuously available and accessible to members of her community. She has been able to respond to the area’s needs in a timely manner – taking calls early in the day to late at night. Kathy’s efforts included COVID-19 vaccination and testing sites, while being a source of accurate information for residents.

Dr. Annette Mercatante, St. Clair County Health Department

In St. Clair County, under the guidance and direction of Dr. Annette Mercatante, awareness of health equity, social determinants of health, adverse childhood events and convened communities (education, social services, substance use/prevention) increased. Additionally, her work with overdose and drug use has created a positive improvement within the St. Clair community as overdose numbers are declining. Her most compelling contributions are the community convening and conversations that are going on with groups aligning for similar missions to improve public health in a way that did not happen before Dr. Mercatante became both the public health officer and medical director 10 years ago.

Throughout the pandemic, Dr. Mercatante has made herself available and accessible to community and business leaders. She coordinated vaccination clinics, carefully tracked COVID-19 cases, issued mask mandates when necessary and coordinated the day-to-day county-wide response to COVID-19. Dr. Mercatante has ensured support for her staff’s mental health needs, and genuinely cares for her community. She was named “Blue Water Woman Medical Professional of the Year” due to her exceptional efforts to improve public health over the last decade.

2022 Hometown Health Hero Award Winners

Wil Cwikiel, Beaver Island

Wil Cwikiel, superintendent-principal of Beaver Island Community Schools, advocated with the local health department for COVID-19 vaccine clinics on Beaver Island, helped the local health department and his rural health center coordinate the clinics and allowed the use of school facilities for COVID-19 and general vaccination clinics. Despite having only a small rural health center and no hospital, in addition to physical and distance barriers, 85.8% of Beaver Island residents are fully vaccinated. In addition to promoting these clinics, Cwikiel volunteered at many of those held at his school while handling his day-to-day responsibilities when school was in session.

Need Our Water (NOW), Oscoda

Need Our Water (NOW) is a grassroots community action group made up of volunteers who are interested in the cleanup and preservation of Oscoda area natural resources from Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) contamination and its harmful impacts to humans and wildlife. For more than five years, NOW has been working to increase awareness around PFAS in ground water and recreational waters and advocating for a health study or assessment that will add to the current research surrounding the health impacts caused by PFAS consumption and contamination.

Maria Militzer, Washtenaw County

Maria Militzer, president of Mexiquenses en Michigan, expanded their partnership with the Washtenaw County Health Department (WCHD) to address the community’s needs related to COVID-19, including access to vaccination and other resources. Advocates and activists connected with Mexiquenses en Michigan have lent their time, influence and resources to ensure that populations hardest hit by COVID-19 have access to vaccinations, personal protective equipment, including KN95 masks and transportation to vaccine appointments. The ongoing partnership with this organization ensures materials are made available in Spanish, and that interpreters and translators are consistently present at community clinics, often as volunteers. Since the beginning of the partnership with the WCHD, community-based COVID-19 vaccination clinics have been held in manufactured home communities, restaurants and places of worship in the areas most impacted by the pandemic.

Jennifer Stambaugh, Gratiot County

Jennifer Stambaugh has taken it upon herself to expand the services provided at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Gratiot County by adding tools and activities to the menu of services offered at the center.

These include:

1. Development of a Care Process Model for assessing pediatric stress and suicidal ideation with the goal of triaging children and adolescents to appropriate levels of mental health care and treatment.
2. Art therapy groups for high school and middle school adolescents who have disclosed sexual abuse or assault.
3. Development of Master of Social Work and Bachelor of Social Work internship programs (for victim advocacy).
4. Holiday assistance for families in need.
5. Securing additional mental health providers to partner with in caring for the children and families who visit the Children’s Advocacy Center.

Veronica McNally, West Bloomfield

Veronica McNally is an attorney by profession, but in her spare time is the Founder and Director of the Franny Strong Foundation and an integral partner in the I Vaccinate campaign. She also serves as the only consumer representative on the U.S. Advisory Council on Immunization Practices (ACIP). McNally has reviewed and guided vaccination surveys and focus groups that have gauged parents’ questions and concerns about COVID-19 vaccines. She has used that input to ask questions and request data during the ACIP vaccination review process. McNally’s family launched the Franny Strong Foundation in honor of their daughter, and in 2016 they secured funding for what has become a revolutionary statewide public health campaign called I Vaccinate. The campaign is based on feedback from Michigan parents and bridges the knowledge gap between parents and health providers – providing parents with credible answers to their questions and the science-based information they need to protect their kids. This work led to her ACIP appointment, and her voice and experience have provided an invaluable perspective to the historic COVID-19 vaccine approval process.

Kelly Hostetler, St. Joseph County

In July 2021, Kelly Hostetler partnered with the St. Joseph County Health Commission’s Access to Healthcare Committee to design and execute a plan targeting the COVID-19 vaccination rate. The program provided COVID-19 vaccinations, free wellness screenings, a free dinner, $25 gift cards to local businesses for participants and vaccine hesitancy training to partnering agencies and community leaders. Hostetler also partnered with Swick Media to promote the clinics with pre-event advertising and day-of-event remote broadcasts. Through these efforts the vaccination rate improved to over 50% with one dose of vaccine by Oct. 3, 2021.

Volunteer Contact Tracers for MDHHS

This group of residents have served as volunteer COVID-19 contact tracers for MDHHS since May 2020. They dedicated more than 150 hours of their own time to help support contact tracing efforts before permanent staff were in place, and provided feedback on the technology and scripts and called thousands of people in Michigan about their COVID-19 status.

These dedicated volunteers include:

Ellen Ives

Susan Morrel-Samuels

Tim Reade

Deborah Brunelle

Patti Kelly

Alice Schuman

Amy Singer

Dawn Ferran

Elizabeth Anderson

Karen Pfeffer

Mary Ann Borton

Richard Bauer

Sarah Walsh

Virginia Maturen

John Bouck

Karen McGrath

Meresa Salisbury

Amy Olszewski

Karen Jennings

Mary Lynam

Barbara Byrne

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 1, 2022

CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112, SutfinL1@michigan.gov

MDHHS issues Request for Proposals for

juvenile justice racial and ethnic disparities reduction

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), in collaboration with the Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice, has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for stakeholders to implement and evaluate programming to reduce racial and ethnic disparities (RED) in the juvenile justice system.

MDHHS is committed to the goal of decreasing disparities, unequal treatment and unequal outcomes amongst youth belonging to racial or ethnic minorities. Applicants funded through this program must demonstrate that RED exists in their jurisdiction and must propose activities that will address those disparities at arrest.

MDHHS expects to award approximately $436,712 over a two-year period through this competitive RFP process to one agency, to implement and evaluate programming to reduce RED in their jurisdictions.

The Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice provides advice, suggestions and solutions to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on juvenile justice issues. The committee works collaboratively with MDHHS and other agencies, and has been instrumental in changing practices, policies and philosophies to improve the juvenile justice system.

Grant applications must be submitted electronically through the EGrAMS program by 3 p.m. on May 12. The program period begins July 1, 2022, and ends Sept. 30, 2022. Successful applicants may be able to receive funding through Sept. 30, 2023, subject to funding availability and acceptable performance.

For more information or to apply, visit the EGrAMS website and select “About EGrAMS” link in the left panel to access the “Competitive Application Instructions” training manual. The complete RFP can be accessed under the ‘Current Grants’ section under the “Childrens Services Agency” link and selecting the “REDII-2022” grant program.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mach 30, 2021

CONTACT: Chelsea Wuth, 517-241-2112, [email protected]

Second booster doses authorized for those ages 50 and older;
12 years and older if immunocompromised 

LANSING, Mich. – Following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announces that all Michiganders ages 50 and up and moderately or severely immunocompromised individuals over age 12 may choose to receive a second booster vaccine.

Pfizer is the only COVID-19 vaccine currently authorized for those under age 18. COVID-19 booster doses may be given at the same time as other vaccines, including the flu vaccine.

Four months after receipt of a first booster dose, the following are now authorized and individuals may choose to receive:

• A second booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine may be administered to individuals 50 years of age and older.

• A second booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine may be administered to moderately or severely immunocompromised individuals 12 years of age and older.

• A second booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine may be administered to moderately or severely immunocompromised individuals 18 years of age and older.

“Vaccines remain our best strategy to minimize the risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive. “Those age 50 and older, or those who are immunocompromised and 12 years and older, may now receive an additional booster four months after their first booster. It is important that all Michiganders ages 5 and up get vaccinated if they aren’t already, and we urge Michiganders over the age of 12 to stay up-to-date on vaccines.”

When getting a booster dose, you’re encouraged to bring your COVID-19 vaccine card or immunization record to show the vaccine provider. Downloadable immunization records are accessible for adults 18 and older free of charge at the Michigan Immunization Portal. Visit Michigan.gov/MiImmsportal and upload a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, state ID or passport. If you do not have records in the portal or are seeking records for a child under 18 years of age, contact a health care provider or local health department.

To date more than 6.6 million Michiganders ages 5 and up have gotten at least their first dose of one of the three safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. Eligible Michiganders are encouraged to stay up to date on vaccinations, including booster doses that provide extra protection, including residents of long-term care facilities where outbreaks can spread quickly and extra protection is strongly recommended.

To schedule a primary or booster dose of the COVID vaccine, visit vaccines.gov.

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine.

For more information about COVID-19 in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/coronavirus.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 22, 2022

CONTACT: Bob Wheaton, 517-241-2112, WheatonB@michigan.gov 

Michigan residents encouraged to make healthy choices about food during National Nutrition Month

LANSING, Mich. – Michiganders can spice up Nutrition Month by trying healthy seasonings from around the world this month.

As Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proclaims March to be Nutrition Month in Michigan, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and its Diabetes and Kidney Unit is joining with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to remind Michiganders about making healthy dining choices.

This year’s theme for National Nutrition Month, “Celebrate a World of Flavors,” is a reminder that the U.S. and Michigan have diverse populations with unique backgrounds and tastes.

“Trying new spices is a great way to celebrate other cultures,” said Dr. Alexis Travis, senior deputy director of MDHHS’s Public Health Administration. “It can also help us reduce our salt intake by replacing it with other seasonings and spices. MDHHS is always working to improve access to healthy food and provide Michigan residents education about healthy nutrition to make the healthy choice the easy choice. I encourage Michiganders to make it a goal to try one new seasoning or spice this month.”

Curry, cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper are among alternatives to salt.

Here are some other tips to consider for eating healthy on a budget:

• Fruits and vegetables don’t have to be fresh to be healthy. Consider buying store brand frozen or canned, which can be less expensive and last longer.
• Meat is usually the most expensive part of a meal. Look through the meat case and compare the price of different meats to find the best value. Roasting a whole chicken in the oven provides a healthy meal at a lower cost similar to the more expensive rotisserie chickens that are already cooked.
• Consider going meatless and getting protein from other sources like eggs, canned fish, beans, lentils or cottage cheese.
• Limit or eliminate sugar-sweetened beverages and instead choose water, sugar-free drinks, or diet soda. Water is the best choice and often the least expensive.
• Make small changes in what you eat to improve nutrition. Small changes add up over time.

Eating healthy does not mean giving up foods important to your culture. Registered dietitians help clients set nutrition goals to improve health, while keep in mind dietary preferences. They can provide recipe ideas, cooking tips and other healthful advice for everyday challenges such as cooking dinner or meal preparation or ways to incorporate favorite foods into a meal plan.

Dietitians are often a part of the Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support team. For those diagnosed with diabetes, assistance from dietitians on this team is a covered benefit from Medicare, Medicaid and most commercial insurance. To find a service near you visit Michigan DSMES locations.

For more information about diabetes visit MI.gov/diabetes. For more information about healthy eating and lifestyle, visit Eatright.org. If you need help making ends meet, learn about MDHHS’s assistance programs or apply at www.michigan.gov/MIBridges.