Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 7, 2021 

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

MDHHS shares improvements to Michigan’s child welfare system 

Court appearance highlights continued reform that protects youth, helps families 

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and court-appointed federal monitors today shared continued significant improvements made to the state’s child welfare system.

Accomplishments continue under the administration of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who took office in January 2019. Today’s updates came during a virtual federal court hearing to address progress during the first six months of 2020 – when the state made inroads even amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the pandemic, MDHHS child welfare staff continued to make important regular contacts with children under state care, using technology to meet with children virtually even when they could not meet in person. From March to June 2020, 97% of monthly worker visits with children in foster care occurred.

“MDHHS and its Children’s Services Agency remain dedicated to accomplishing the priorities that have been in place based on the department’s agreement with the court,” said MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel. “They include strongly focusing on child safety and well-being in foster homes and child-caring institutions, maintaining family connections, ensuring we find suitable permanent homes for children in a timely fashion, and continuing to shift child welfare toward a more prevention-focused framework.”

In June 2019 – five months after Whitmer took office – Judge Nancy G. Edmunds of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan approved a new agreement that streamlined the monitoring process, allowing MDHHS to devote more resources to directly supporting children and families.

During the six-month period covered by the new court monitoring report, Michigan improved data collected by the state’s child welfare technology system. That provides staff with better information to keep children safe and families together. The state also improved its performance by meeting the standard for timely completion of Children’s Protective Services investigations of reported child abuse or neglect.

Today’s court appearance was the first for Demetrius Starling as the new executive director of the department’s Children’s Services Agency.

“I also want to commend the state for what seems to be a very energetic start to the work that Director Hertel and Director Starling are supervising and overseeing,” Judge Edmunds said. “I’m glad to see that the department is taking a really aggressive approach to resolving these outstanding problems.”

Starling took over last month following the departure of JooYeun Chang, who received praise from the court for her reform efforts.

“I was inspired by the progress we made under the leadership of former director Chang,” Starling said. “I am dedicated to building on our progress. We are committed to addressing the needs of Michigan’s most vulnerable children. Michigan has made significant strides in improving safety for children in care as a result of our continued meaningful collaboration with private child welfare agency partners and community stakeholders. That will remain a top priority. If we do that, Michigan eventually will be able to exit federal court oversight.”

The report released today by the court monitors shows Michigan met commitments for:

• Generating from its child welfare information system accurate and timely reports and information regarding the requirements in the court agreement.
• 90% of all investigations of reported child abuse or neglect to be completed within the required time frames.
• 95% of foster care workers to have caseloads of 15 or fewer children.

In addition, MDHHS has further made progress in priority areas mentioned during last year’s court appearance. That includes continuing to take steps to reduce maltreatment of children in foster care and provide increased support to relative caregivers so they can keep children safe.

The department also has made additional progress in updating the child welfare technology system that is used by caseworkers and used to track data to report to the court that demonstrates improvements. The department is beginning to transition to a new information technology system. “We know that the top priority for child welfare staff is engaging directly with families and children instead of being hindered by an outdated technology system,” Starling said.

MDHHS also shared with the court today comprehensive reform actions the department has taken in the wake of the death of a child who was improperly restrained by staff at a child-caring institution in Kalamazoo in May 2020. That includes restricting the use of restraints in facilities, reducing the number of youth in child-caring facilities by placing children in more family-like settings or reunifying them safely with their families more quickly and creating a task force that recommended reform of child-caring facilities.

To view the latest federal court monitor report and other information, go to www.michigan.gov/ChildWelfareAgreement.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 7, 2021

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

First case of hantavirus reported in Michigan

Michiganders reminded to take precautions around rodents

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Washtenaw County Health Department are investigating the first confirmed human case of Sin Nombre hantavirus detected in Michigan. An adult female in Washtenaw County was recently hospitalized with a serious pulmonary illness from Sin Nombre hantavirus. The individual was likely exposed when cleaning an unoccupied dwelling that contained signs of an active rodent infestation.

Hantavirus was first discovered to be responsible for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in ill patients in the southwest United States in 1993. HPS has since infected people throughout the U.S. and the Americas. Hantavirus infections are associated with domestic, occupational or recreational activities that bring humans into contact with infected rodents. Most cases have been identified in adults and tend to occur in the spring and summer.

“HPS is caused by some strains of hantavirus and is a rare but severe and sometimes fatal respiratory disease that can occur one to five weeks after a person has exposure to fresh urine, droppings or saliva from infected rodents,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS. “Anyone who comes into contact with rodents that carry hantavirus is at risk for HPS and healthcare providers with a suspect case of hantavirus should contact their local health department to report the case and discuss options for confirmatory testing.”

Humans become infected when freshly dried materials contaminated by rodent excreta are disturbed and inhaled, get into breaks in the skin or on mucous membranes or when ingesting contaminated food or water. Bites from rodents can also transmit hantavirus. The highest risk of exposure takes place when entering or cleaning rodent-infested structures. There are not any documented person-to-person cases of hantavirus transmission in the U.S.

Symptoms of HPS can be non-specific at first and include fever, chills, body aches, headache and gastro-intestinal signs such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. The illness can progress to include coughing and shortness of breath. HPS has a 40% fatality rate.

“We can prevent and reduce the risk of hantavirus infection by taking precautions and being alert to the possibility of it,” says Dr. Juan Luis Marquez, medical director with Washtenaw County Health Department. “Use rubber, latex, vinyl or nitrile gloves when cleaning areas with rodent infestations, ventilate areas for at least 30 minutes before working, and make sure to wet areas thoroughly with a disinfectant or chlorine solution before cleaning.”

Hantaviruses are a family of viruses spread mainly by wild rodents and occur worldwide. Several hantaviruses that can infect people have been identified in the U.S. and each hantavirus has a primary rodent host. The most important hantavirus in the U.S. that causes HPS is the Sin Nombre virus, which is spread by the deer mouse and white footed mouse.

The greatest risk for hantavirus infection is associated with opening or cleaning closed-up buildings with rodent infestations without proper protection. Healthcare providers with a suspect case of hantavirus should contact their local health department to report the case and discuss options for confirmatory testing.

Hantaviruses are viruses and are susceptible to most disinfectants (diluted chlorine solutions, detergents, general purpose household disinfectants including those based on phenols, quaternary ammonium compounds and hypochlorite). Depending on environmental conditions, these viruses probably survive less than one week in indoor environments and much shorter periods (hours) when exposed to sunlight outdoors. Special precautions should be taken when cleaning up after rodents. In cases of heavy rodent infestation, it is recommended to consult with a pest-control professional.

For more information about HPS, visit Cdc.gov/hantavirus.

• Facts About Hantavirus
• Cleaning Up After Rodents
• “Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome—United States: Updated Recommendations for Risk Reduction”
• HPS Technical FAQ
• COVID-19 vs. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome | Hantavirus | DHCPP | CDC

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 2, 2021

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

MDHHS issues RFP for elder abuse prevention programming

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Aging and Adult Services Agency has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Elder and Vulnerable Adult Abuse Prevention Services.

Eligible applicants include government organizations, educational organizations and nonprofit organizations that provide prevention services to populations at risk of elder or vulnerable adult abuse.

MDHHS works to ensure all people at risk for elder or vulnerable adult abuse have access to prevention services, as well as to a range of resources. In an attempt to achieve these outcomes, applications must develop proposals that fall within one of six areas:

• Mediation: Develop programs or processes to allow older adults and their care team to create mutually acceptable solutions to disputes.
• Hoarding: Develop programs and/or processes that work with multi-disciplinary partners to address hoarding and develop long-term viable solutions.
• Safe Housing: Identify and develop systems or solutions to assist elder abuse survivors and/or those elders in potential abuse situations to transition to sustainable long-term housing.
• Forensic Accounting: Improve the prevention and prosecution of financial exploitation.
• Elder Death Review Team: Develop or expand elder death review teams to work with medical examiners to identify gaps in justice for elder abuse, neglect and exploitation victims, and develop and implement actionable solutions.
• Investigative Team: Develop or expand investigative teams to work with law enforcement, prosecutor, and adult protective services to identify gaps in justice for elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation victims and develop and implement actionable solutions.

The funding priorities for this application period include proposals that develop new services or enhance existing ones; demonstrate the financial or other value to elder or vulnerable adults, family members and the community; and identify measurable objectives, metrics and outcomes, where applicable.

The award period begins Oct. 1, 2021, and ends Sept. 30, 2022. MDHHS expects to award approximately $500,000 to up to six applicants, with a minimum award of $75,000 and a maximum award of $200,000 per applicant.

Grant applications must be submitted electronically through the EGrAMS program by 3 p.m. on June 25.

For more information or to apply, visit the EGrAMS website and click the “About EGrAMS” link on the left panel to access the “Competitive Application Instructions” training manual. The complete Request for Proposal document can be accessed on the EGrAMS website in the ‘Current Grants’ section by clicking the “Aging and Adult Services” link and accessing the “PRVNT-2022” grant program.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 1, 2021
CONTACT: Chelsea Wuth, 517-241-2112, [email protected]

MDHHS invites public comment on Title V Block Grant application

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) invites the public to comment on the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services Block Grant application.

Title V of the Social Security Act of 1935, as amended, provides funding to states to improve the health of mothers, infants and children, including children with special health care needs. Michigan’s Title V application is for services from Oct. 1, 2021 to Sept. 30, 2022, and includes a report on activities and services provided in fiscal year (FY) 2020.

Title V state action plans address the following priority areas for the current five-year cycle (FY 2021-2025) to improve the health of the MCH population in Michigan:

• Low-risk cesarean delivery.
• Infant safe sleep.
• Transition for youth with special health care needs to adult health care.
• Preventive dental visits for women and children.
• Childhood lead poisoning prevention.
• Immunizations for children and adolescents.
• Medical care and treatment for children with special health care needs.
• Pregnancy intention.
• Developmental, behavioral and mental health services.

These MCH priorities address needs across five federally identified population domains: women/maternal health, perinatal/infant health, child health, adolescent health and children with special health care needs.

The Title V draft application and annual report are available online. MDHHS welcomes comments on the application by 5 p.m. on June 30. Comments can be submitted to MDHHS-MCHBlockGrant@michigan.gov.