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.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 21, 2022

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

Benefits of having a family physician recognized during Family Medicine Week

LANSING, Mich. — Family medicine is a specialty practiced by physicians with extensive training to provide care for people of all ages, from birth through end of life, and are experts in treating a wide range of symptoms affecting the body from head to toe. In recognition of the importance of family medicine, March 20-26, is recognized as Family Medicine Week by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians and the Michigan Association of Osteopathic Family Physicians.

Family Medicine Week highlights family physicians’ dedication to providing comprehensive, coordinated primary care to residents across the state to protect and improve health and wellness, and reduce costs to the health care system. Research shows that adults and children who choose a family physician as their regular source of care have lower annual health care costs, visit the doctor less, are prescribed fewer medications and report less difficulty accessing care.

“Having a primary care provider like a family medicine physician is crucial to maintaining health,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian MDHHS chief medical executive. “Visiting your primary care physician for regular check-ups can help you stay healthy and prevent illness, and they are a trusted source of accurate information about and providers of immunizations, including the COVID-19 vaccine.”

According to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey, eight out of 10 people are likely to rely on the advice of their personal primary care physician when deciding to get immunized. This makes family physicians key partners in Michigan families getting vaccinated against the seasonal flu, COVID-19 and other vaccine-preventable diseases that cause illness and death.

Statewide, the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians and Michigan Association of Osteopathic Family Physicians collectively represent more than 5,000 family physicians, family medicine resident physicians and medical students exploring a career in family medicine. Together they are hosting Michigan Family Medicine Advocacy Day in Lansing Wednesday, March 23, to discuss legislative and policy issues impacting access to care, the patient-physician relationship and the practice of family medicine in our state.

To learn more about Michigan Academy of Family Physicians, visit Mafp.com.

To learn more about Michigan Association of Osteopathic Family Physicians, visit Maofp.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 18, 2022

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

Michigan’s Child Welfare Improvement Task Force to work with MDHHS to implement recommendations to address widespread racial disparities in state’s child protection system 

LANSING, Mich. – The Child Welfare Improvement Task Force today made recommendations to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) for preventing and eliminating systemic racism in the state’s child protection system.

Recommendations address issues such as children going into foster care because of the effects of poverty, youth who could live with family members instead being placed in non-relative foster homes, and children of color being a disproportionate percentage of those in congregate care facilities.

Visit michigancwtf.org to read the task force report.

“MDHHS believes the overrepresentation of children of color in the child welfare system requires fundamental systems change,” said Demetrius Starling, executive director of the department’s Children’s Services Agency. “Children of color enter foster care at higher rates and stay in care longer than their white peers. Children of color are also more likely to age out of care without finding a forever family. We must take action to address these challenges.”

MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel charged the task force with working with Starling and his Children’s Services Agency team in developing recommendations to the department. While 31% of Michigan’s children are people of color, they make up 51% of its foster care population.

The task force is chaired by Thomas Stallworth, senior advisor to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and director of the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities, and co-chaired by David Sanders, executive vice president of Systems Improvement at Casey Family Programs, which is nationally renowned for its work to improve outcomes for youth involved in the child welfare system.

Six key recommendations are being presented to the task force today to address six problem statements identified as being related to over-representation of children of color in the foster care system in Michigan. The problem statements and recommendations for addressing them are:

1. Problem Statement: Families who have contact with child welfare and whose children are placed in care overwhelmingly experience poverty, housing instability and associated challenges. There is ample evidence that judgments of neglect are confounded with the effects of poverty.

Recommendation: Redefine abuse and neglect/physical neglect.

2. Problem Statement: There are disproportionalities in the extent to which communities of color are reported to and engaged with child welfare systems, placed in care and placed in more restrictive forms of care.

Recommendation: Implement new structured decision-making tools. These tools use clearly defined and consistently applied decision-making criteria.

3. Problem Statement: Children are entering foster care when they could be placed safely with relatives or fictive kin, which are nonrelatives such as family friends who have a significant relationship with children.

Recommendation: Increase specialized services and supports for relative and kinship caregivers.

4. Problem Statement: The disproportionate placement of children of color in care and in congregate care facilities known as child-caring institutions reflects a cross-systems phenomenon in which they experience more restrictive placements.

Recommendation: There is a need for early identification and appropriate intervention to avert crisis and placement. Increase access to mental health services for children and families.

5. Problem Statement: Children of color are disproportionately placed in child-caring institutions and have longer lengths of stay.

Recommendation: Implement appropriate services to reduce placements in child- caring institutions and length of stay.

6. Problem Statement: The Children’s Services Agency budget does not provide adequate resources to advance these two recommendations – increasing specialized services and supports for relative and kinship caregivers and implementing appropriate services to reduce placements in child- caring institutions and length of stay.

Recommendation: Secure funding to implement the recommendations.

MDHHS has acknowledged the disparate treatment of Black children and families as barriers to achieving that goal and has identified specific strategies to address this challenge.

Stallworth agreed. “A concentrated effort was needed to identify the root causes of system disparities, eliminate any implicit bias and redesign a process that currently represents another prison pipeline for children of color,” he said. “The department and task force members should be applauded for their courage and commitment to achieving better outcomes for children and families.”

After listening to youth, families, staff and key stakeholders, the task force identified the six recommendations to address problems that are contributing to racial and ethnic disparities:

The task force is developing an implementation plan for each of the main recommendations to help meet their goals of supporting MDHHS to improve the child protection system to provide safe, fair and equitable treatment of all Michigan’s children and families.

The task force is being staffed by Paul Elam, chief strategy officer at the Michigan Public Health Institute, a Michigan-based, nonprofit public health institute leading public health efforts across the country.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 15, 2022

CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-21-2112, SutfinL1@michigan.gov

MDHHS issues Requests for Proposals for

Child and Adolescent Health Center Program Expansion

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFPs) to expand the Child and Adolescent Health Center program through school-based or school-linked health services. The models funded through this grant include Child and Adolescent Health Centers (CAHC) and School Wellness programs (SWP).

The purpose of the CAHC Program Expansion RFP is to provide school-based or school-linked comprehensive primary care and preventive health services, psychosocial and health promotion/disease prevention services, Medicaid outreach activities and access to Medicaid preventive services in a manner and atmosphere friendly to children and adolescents ages 5 to 21. Programs provide a safe and caring place for children and adolescents to learn positive health behaviors, prevent diseases and receive needed medical care and support, resulting in healthy youth who are ready and able to learn and become educated, productive adults.

This RFP is open to public and non-profit entities such as local health departments, community health centers, community mental health agencies, Federally Qualified Health Centers, non-profit hospitals/health systems, school districts, federally recognized tribes and other health care or social services organizations qualified to provide school-based or school-linked health care services.

The four-month award begins on June 1, 2022, and ends September 30, 2022, with the total available amount being $2.09 million. Maximum awards of $300,000 and minimum awards of $170,000 will be available per successful applicant. Successful applicants will be invited to apply for annual renewals based on availability of funds and acceptable performance.

Grant applications for the Child and Adolescent Health Center Program Expansion RFP must be submitted electronically through the EGrAMS program by 3 p.m. on April 15.

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 “Public Health Administration” link and selecting the “CAHCE-2022” grant program.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 15, 2022

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

MDHHS issues Requests for Proposals for

Expanding, Enhancing Emotional Health Program Expansion

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFPs) to expand the number of sites offering the Expanding, Enhancing Emotional Health program.

The purpose of the Expanding, Enhancing Emotional Health Expansion Program RFP is to support comprehensive mental health services to children and adolescents in a school-based location by a licensed mental health professional. Expanding, Enhancing Emotional Health is a program model of the Child and Adolescent Health Center Program

This RFP is open to public and non-profit entities such as local health departments, community health centers, community mental health agencies, Federally Qualified Health Centers, non-profit hospitals/health systems, school districts, federally recognized tribes and other health care or social services organizations qualified to provide mental health care to the school age population.

The four-month award begins on June 1, 2022, and ends Sept. 30, 2022, with the total available amount being $1.5 million with a maximum of $110,000 per successful applicant. Successful applicants will be invited to apply for annual renewals based on availability of funds and acceptable performance.

Grant applications for the Expanding, Enhancing Emotional Health Expansion Program RFP must be submitted electronically through the EGrAMS program by 3 p.m. on April 15.

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 “Public Health Administration” link and selecting the “E3E-2022” grant program.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 11, 2022

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

MDHHS updates Isolation & Quarantine Guidance based on low
COVID-19 numbers, state entering post-surge, recovery phase
LARA updates guidance for childcare facilities

LANSING, Mich. – Based on current conditions and low numbers of new COVID-19 cases, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is updating its COVID-19 Isolation & Quarantine guidance for Michigan residents, including for school settings.

“We are updating our guidance to reflect the fact the state has entered a post-surge, recovery phase,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive. “As we move through the phases of our COVID-19 response our recommendations will be updated to reflect the current status of transmission, while continuing to prioritize public health and promote health and wellness for all communities. We continue to strongly urge all residents ages 5 and older get the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine and to get boosted when eligible as the vaccine continues to be our best defense against the virus.”

This update does not change guidance for health care, long-term care, corrections and other high-risk settings, and these entities should continue to follow existing guidance.

ISOLATION

• Any individual who tests positive for COVID-19 and/or displays COVID-19 symptoms (without an alternate diagnosis or negative COVID-19 test) should isolate regardless of vaccination status:
  • Isolate at home for the first five days (starting with the day after symptoms began or day after test was taken for those without symptoms); and
  • If symptoms have improved or no symptoms developed, return to normal activities, while wearing a well-fitted mask, for the next five days to protect others.

AND

• If individual has a fever, stay home until fever free for a period of 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications before returning to normal activities while wearing a well-fitted mask, until the 10-day period is complete.

OR

• Isolate at home for 10 days if unwilling/unable to wear a mask.

NOTIFICATION OF CONTACTS

• Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 should also notify others whom they had contact with during the time they were contagious (beginning two days before symptoms started or testing positive if no symptoms are present).
• Prioritize notification of individuals who are personal/household contacts* and immunocompromised or high-risk individuals.
• Individuals would then follow the below guidance on Quarantine.

QUARANTINE

Quarantine guidance may be adjusted to respond to and control outbreaks within unique settings as needed. Local leaders and individuals should work with their local health departments for outbreak response and follow additional quarantine recommendations as situations dictate to maintain a safer environment for community members.

• Individual is exposed to someone who is positive for COVID-19 and:

1. Exposure is to a personal/household contact:

• Conduct symptom monitoring for 10 days; and
• Test at least one time if possible three to seven days after exposure and if symptoms develop; and
• Wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days from the date of last exposure to protect others (home quarantine is an alternative for those who are unable or unwilling to mask); and
• Avoid unmasked activities or activities with higher risk of exposing vulnerable individuals for 10 days from the date of last exposure

2. Exposure is to other type of contact (from a community, social or work setting)

• Conduct symptom monitoring for 10 days; and
• Test if symptoms develop; and
• Consider wearing a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days from the date of last exposure to protect others. At a minimum, wear a mask in settings with higher risk of exposing vulnerable individuals

Along with MDHHS’ updated guidance, there may also be local isolation & quarantine guidance, policies and/or orders from local health departments, organizations and/or school districts that must be followed. Policies established by event organizers and businesses may be instituted to fit the specific needs of their customers and should be followed.

In addition, the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Child Care guidelines have been updated to provide consistent recommendations with K-12 schools. This includes revised recommendations around masking to reflect personal choice.

Isolation and quarantine periods have been updated to align with MDHHS recommendations for the general population and K-12 schools. These changes make it easier for childcare staff members and families to navigate COVID-19 for the majority of children.

MDHHS supports adjusting recommendations as the state cycles through periods of response, recovery and readiness and following local health department decisions based on local conditions. As part of the state entering the Recovery phase, MDHHS has also rescinded its requirement that schools report confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 cycle has been broken down into three key phases:

• Response – Local and state public health implement rapid response to a surge. The public may be advised to increase masking, testing and social distancing.
• Recovery – Post-surge. No immediate resurgence predicted. Local and state public health will monitor conditions that could lead to future surges.
• Readiness – A surge in cases is expected, with implications on severity of illness and hospital capacity. Increased communication to the public regarding possible new risks.

During the recovery phase, masks remain an important tool in mitigating spread of COVID-19. Individuals who feel sick, may be at higher risk of infection or who feel better protected when masked should choose when they feel comfortable masking. Michiganders should consider their individual and family members’ risk factors and vaccination status when making the personal decision whether to mask. Those with chronic illness or who are immunocompromised are at higher risk for poor outcomes from COVID-19 and would benefit most from masking in indoor settings. These risk factors may include age, medical conditions and vaccination status.

For more information, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus.

To find a vaccine, visit VaccineFinder.org.