The Washtenaw Health Initiative (WHI) is excited to announce its upcoming Health and Social Services Integration summit, taking place on March 18. This full-day event will bring together local and state stakeholders to explore health and social services integration in Michigan.
The WHI invites health care providers and payers, social service agencies, economic development organizations, and local and state government leaders to join us for this event. Community residents with lived experience, including the WHI’s Community Advisory Board, are also encouraged to participate.
The summit focus is to align local health improvement strategies with state integration initiatives, ensuring a stronger and more sustainable approach to health equity and social care integration.
Register here: Health and Social Service Integration Summit – Washtenaw Health Initiative
The summit has two key goals:
Understanding state-level initiatives: The morning session will feature three speakers from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), who will provide 20-minute overviews of:
- Michigan’s Social Determinants of Health Hub Initiative
- The state’s efforts around Community Information Exchange (CIE) and shared technology infrastructure
- The launch of Michigan’s In Lieu of Services (ILOS) program
Following these presentations, the speakers will engage in a panel discussion on how these initiatives can be leveraged to integrate health and social services—extending beyond Washtenaw County to include Livingston, Wayne, and Jackson Counties for improved access and coordination.
The morning will also include a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) overview, presenting key findings on access to care, mental health, housing, and food insecurity in the region that integration efforts could help address.
Building a regional approach to Community Care Hubs (CCH): The afternoon will begin with an introduction to the Community Care Hub (CCH) model, including examples of successful implementations focused on closed-loop referrals, complex care management, and direct service delivery through community-based organizations.
Attendees will take a look at other successful care-hubs and participate in small group discussions on:
- Identifying local health needs that could be improved through better integration of health and social services.
- Examining the role of an administrative lead organization in advancing these efforts.
- Determining the best next steps for individuals and organizations to move forward in strengthening coordination.
The event will conclude with a report-out session and closing remarks, followed by networking and card exchange.