June/July Newsletter: Doubling cardiac arrest survival rates, state of health care in 2019, and more

Since November 2018, dozens of representatives from Washtenaw-area organizations that are deeply involved in the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs) have been participating in an SUD system transformation process hosted by the Washtenaw Health Initiative as part of its State Innovation Model (SIM) work in Livingston and Washtenaw Counties.

After a productive meeting in May, seven action teams-comprised of substance use disorder treatment providers, community mental health organizations, hospitals, law enforcement agencies, public health entities, and more-set out to complete key tasks during a 100-day challenge. On September 25, the group will meet again to highlight their accomplishments and outline next steps.

Read the June/July newsletter online for this story, and more, including:

  • A new WHI-sponsored project aiming to double local cardiac arrest survival rates has been approved by the Washtenaw Health Initiative Steering Committee
  • Voices of the WHI: Five questions with Ellen Rabinowitz and Peter Jacobson, founding members of the Washtenaw Health Initiative Steering Committee
  • The State of Health Care in 2019: A Look at Health Policy in Michigan and Beyond, a presentation developed by the WHI’s Megan Foster Friedman, provides an overview of the progress Michigan has made in enrolling Healthy Michigan members and a preview of state and national legislation-including Medicaid work requirements-with implications for the coming year
  • Steering committee transitions: Rabinowitz and Jacobson retiring this summer after eight years of service; to be succeeded by Jimena Loveluck, Julie Aronica
  • The UNITE Group, launched in 2015 by the region’s largest non-profit hospitals, recently published a joint Community Health Needs Assessment; group members are scheduled to present their findings during the Washtenaw Health Initiative Stakeholders Meeting on September 25
  • A calendar of Washtenaw Health Initiative meetings for August and September 2019
  • News of note by Ted Roelofs (Bridge), Estelle Slootmaker (State of Health), Marianne Udow-Phillips and Luke Shaefer (Crain’s), and more
  • Save the date for the 2019 Washtenaw Opioid Summit, organized by the Washtenaw Health Initiative Opioid Project

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