Erin Spanier

Addressing the digital divide: How one sparsely populated Washtenaw County township gained broadband internet access for its residents

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By Allie Faulkner, MSW Candidate and CHRT/WHI Intern Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, our need for reliable, high-speed internet has been intensified, becoming a lifeline for how we participate in work and school, seek medical attention, access information, and stay connected.  Even though the need is apparent, broadband is limited in many areas of Washtenaw County, … Read more

September Stakeholder’s Meeting focuses on action and advocacy opportunities for the WHI and its member organizations

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At the September 2020 stakeholder’s meeting, WHI executives announced that Marianne Udow-Phillips will be retiring from her role as Executive Director of the Center for Health and Research Transformation (CHRT) at the end of the year. Marianne will continue to serve as a senior advisor on several CHRT projects, will teach at the University of … Read more

WHI releases 2019 impact report

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The Washtenaw Health Initiative will celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2021. The WHI’s 2019 impact report focuses on the activities undertaken by active work groups, comprised of representatives from dozens of Washtenaw County organizations that have much to be proud of.  2019 highlights include:  MMOE Work Group members trained college students to distribute more than … Read more

Millage proposal aims to tackle affordable housing in Ann Arbor

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By Cleoniki Kesidis Affordable housing is essential for a thriving community, but in Washtenaw County – the 8th most economically segregated community in the country according to one study by the Martin Prosperity Institute – affordable housing is rare. Each year, five thousand people experience homelessness in Washtenaw County, with even more people in insecure … Read more

Voice of the WHI: Jimena Loveluck, health officer for the Washtenaw County Health Department

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Q. Washtenaw County has seen about 1,300 cases to date, with about 40 percent of these in the 48197 and 48198 zip codes. Why were these areas so hard hit? Loveluck. The Health Department has been focusing on health inequities in these communities for several years. In addition to assessing community health, we review the data … Read more

Refer clients to MI Community Care, the free community-wide care coordination program launched by Livingston-Washtenaw SIM

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More than 450 Livingston and Washtenaw County residents benefited from the Washtenaw Health Initiative’s community-wide care coordination program, which began in 2016 with federal State Innovation Model (SIM) funding. As the federal funding for the project ended, these care coordination efforts were redesigned under a new name: MI Community Care. The Washtenaw Health Initiative and … Read more

Health department’s ‘It is POSSIBLE’ campaign launched to combat the opioid epidemic in Washtenaw County

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By Matt Hill, Program Manager The Washtenaw County Health Department recently announced the launch of a public education campaign focused on combating the widespread effects the national opioid epidemic has had on our local community. Titled “It is POSSIBLE,” the campaign aims to elevate stories of recovery in our community and to promote safer substance … Read more

May stakeholder’s meeting focuses on Washtenaw’s COVID-19 response, observed and anticipated needs, and ways to address them

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The WHI’s May stakeholder’s meeting, which was held over Zoom, was attended by more than five-dozen members. Topics of discussion included the community’s COVID-19 response, observed and anticipated needs and disparities, and ways that the WHI and its members can address them. In discussing what WHI stakeholders have been doing to respond to the pandemic, … Read more

Disproportionate impact of COVID-19 drives new and enhanced collaborations between Washtenaw County’s diverse community organizations

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By Allie Faulkner, MSW candidate and CHRT/WHI Intern It has been widely reported that COVID-19 has hit some communities harder than others highlighting racial and economic disparities around the country and how these disparities have been intensified by the pandemic. In Washtenaw County, recent data tells us that residents in the 48197 and 48198 zip … Read more

Update 2-1-1 on your organization’s COVID-19 services–the 24/7 call center is a terrific first point of contact for residents in need

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Dozens of detailed directories have emerged over the last several weeks as Washtenaw County leaders have worked tirelessly to respond to the threat of COVID-19 and to help residents navigate the health, social, and economic impacts of the pandemic.  In early April, the Washtenaw Health Initiative shared a number of these COVID-19 directories in an … Read more