Washtenaw Health Initiative (WHI) stakeholders are encouraged to use this short form to nominate Community Ambassadors–individuals who have lived experience accessing community-based health and social services in Washtenaw County–to serve on the WHI Steering Committee.
The Washtenaw Health Initiative Steering Committee believes that building relationships with community members from populations that the WHI wishes to serve will promote health equity and improve service outcomes across the county. In order to ensure meaningful participation from Community Ambassadors, Steering Committee members will work to create an inclusive environment that welcomes participation and minimizes real and perceived barriers to engagement.
Community Ambassadors should have a passion for health equity and should have lived experience with poverty, health disparities and inequities, or difficulties receiving adequate care or coverage resulting in negative health outcomes. Community Ambassadors will be asked to:
- Provide insight on the health challenges facing Washtenaw County,
- Offer feedback on how the WHI can better connect with different groups in the county to improve health responses,
- Provide a community voice in WHI decisions to best serve Washtenaw County residents, and
- Participate in meeting conversations to give ideas, feedback, and suggestions (topics might include responses to COVID-19; access to health insurance; access to mental health care, substance use treatment and supports, senior services, or affordable housing; and racial discrimination or equity in health settings)
Ambassadors will serve for a minimum of six months and will be compensated for their time. They can expect to serve two to four hours per month as they attend monthly Steering Committee meetings and quarterly stakeholder meetings. The position will begin in January, 2021.
Send questions to Deana Smith at dgrabel@med.umich.edu.