News

A Healthcare professional talking about opioid use recovery

Bridge Magazine, In The Media: In the news: Maximizing opioid settlement funds for substance use recovery

A new article, Michigan needs coordination, collaboration spending opioid funds, highlights CHRT’s mixed methods research on opportunities to speed substance use recovery through opioid settlement fund investments. In Gaps and opportunities for substance use recovery: Considerations for spending opioid settlement funds, CHRT highlights guidance from the state’s recovery support providers, including many with lived substance use recovery experience, about ways …

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Developing Community Paramedicine programs in underserved regions across Michigan

CHRT begins four new projects focused on health equity, legislator education, and more

The Center for Health & Research Transformation (CHRT) is pleased to announce four new projects. Expanding community paramedicine and mobile integrated health in mid-Michigan This project, a collaborative initiative with Mobile Medical Response (MMR), aims to launch a community paramedicine program to address gaps in medical and social care within mid-Michigan communities.  CHRT’s role includes conducting environmental scans and needs …

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Melissa Riba

How CHRT’s program evaluation team helps organizations create successful, sustainable programs

CHRT’s program evaluation team works with stakeholders to design, analyze, synthesize, and report on evaluations. They aim to improve programs by assessing progress, demonstrating impact, and developing lessons learned. We sat down with Melissa Riba, the program evaluation team lead, to learn more about the team’s projects, purpose, and intended impact. What are some of the challenges CHRT’s program evaluation …

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In The Media, MI Mental Health, Second Wave Media: Regional Health Collaboratives work to improve behavioral healthcare

The Promotion of Health Equity Project engages six Regional Health Collaboratives — care coordination programs designed to improve a region’s wellbeing – to address health-related social needs and establish a framework for statewide expansion.  A recent MI Mental Health Series article by Estelle Slootmaker, “Regional Health Collaboratives improving access to behavioral health services,” discusses the goals of these six collaboratives …

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CHRT explores the individual and environmental factors linked to healthy aging for people with long-term disabilities

Since 2018, CHRT has worked closely with one of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDLRR) rehabilitation research and training centers (RRTC). The project, Investigating Disability factors and promoting Environmental Access for Healthy Living (IDEAL), aims to promote healthy aging for people with long-term physical disabilities.  What we’ve done For the IDEAL RRTC, housed within the …

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In The Media: Michigan’s CCBHCs open mental health access to all

CHRT’s work evaluating Michigan’s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) was highlighted in a Second Wave Media article, “Michigan’s CCBHCs open mental health access to all.” The article features interviews with CHRT team members Erica Matti, senior health policy analyst, and Jonathan Tsao, research and evaluation project manager.  CCBHCs provide whole-person care and aim to consider all aspects of a …

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In The Media, Second Wave Media: CHRT study cited in Second Wave article on long COVID impact on Michiganders

As of May 2022, a CHRT study found that more than 700,000 Michiganders are living with long COVID, the lasting symptoms of COVID infection. Second Wave Media’s article “Researchers seek solutions for Michigan’s 700,000 COVID long haulers,” written by Estelle Slootmaker, cites CHRT’s research on long COVID and its impact on individuals, the state, and health care systems. The author …

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New CHRT projects explore the root causes of opioid overdose in one Michigan county and infectious disease control innovations across the U.S.

The Center for Health and Research Transformation (CHRT) has begun two new projects in recent months. Innovations in infectious disease control  CHRT will synthesize lessons from Pfizer’s Direct Relief Innovation Awards in Community Health. Direct Relief, a humanitarian aid organization focused on improving the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies, gave these awards to Federally-Qualified Health …

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Man looks into a nearly empty refrigerator

In The Media, WJR Radio: Project Manager Marissa Rurka discusses physician food interventions

Marissa Rurka, a project manager on CHRT’s research and evaluation team, joined Phil Knight, executive director of the Food Bank Council of Michigan, and Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of  the Gleaners Community Food Bank, for a conversation about how Michigan physicians screen patients for food insecurity, and what happens next. The Food First Michigan podcast (episode 91) is available …

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In The Media, State of Reform: Health navigators say Medicaid members benefit from plain language, reduced administrative burden

On June 30, State of Reform published an article relating the results of a newly released CHRT study about the effectiveness of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) outreach methods to Medicaid members. The study explored MDHHS communications around the implementation of Medicaid work requirements for the Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP) in early 2020.  While Medicaid communications are …

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