Salute! to the Center for Disparity Solutions and Equity

DETROIT, MI - The Center for Disparity Solutions and Equity (CDSE) - a community-driven organization by the University of Michigan-Dearborn, College of Education, Health, and Human Services, received the Breakthrough Award from the Greater Detroit Area Health Council (GDAHC) during its annual awards dinner Salute! to Healthcare on November 3, 2016 at the Atheneum Suite Hotel in Detroit.

CDSE received the 2016
Breakthrough Award

The Breakthrough Award is presented to an individual or organization for their impact on the health and well-being of southeast Michigan through community engagement and innovation. This year GDAHC decided to honor the Center for Disparity Solutions and Equity (CDSE) with this award.

The overarching objective of the CDSE is to develop evidence-based solutions that seek to create equity across education, public and community health, healthcare, wellness and human services. To achieve this aim, the CDSE partners with community, corporate, education, government, health and wellness organizations spanning the Detroit area, the State of Michigan and the United States.

Working in collaboration with these stakeholders and through the application of leading-edge research, the CDSE seeks to implement actionable solutions by way of innovative programs and policies, systems and environment best practices and responsible evaluation mechanisms—among other channels.

Center of Disparity Solutions and Equity team members

  Currently, there are more than 20 professionals, from the University of Michigan-Dearborn as well as a number of regional organizations and institutions, associated with the CDSE. These regional organizations range from healthcare payers to free clinics to health systems to school districts to social service organizations and more.

Examples of the substantial work, with actions implemented, that have been completed include:

1. hotspotting to identify geographic areas of high concentration of chronic diseases and at-risk populations
2. across-sector collaborations to lessen the disparities and burden of determinants of health;
3. working of institutional policies to increase equity; and
4. convergence of education and health and human services entities to increase educational attainment and quality of life. Some of the areas of clinical focus has involved, but has not been limited to: autism spectrum disorder, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, bipolar disorder, and learning disabilities.

The CDSE features knowledgeable faculty and staff members who are passionate about eliminating disparities across education, health and human services. These experts bring together other faculty members, students and communities in effort to help eliminate disparities.

The CDSE works from the position that progress and positive change can be realized, that equity throughout the areas of education, public and community health, healthcare, wellness and human services is a true possibility.

CEHHS Student Internship Opportunities with Quicken Loans

DETROIT, MI - Dr. Susan Everett, Chair of the Department of Education, and Dr. Stein Brunvand, Director of Master’s Degree Programs for the College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS), met with representatives from Quicken Loans on October 14, 2016 to learn more about their student internship programs.

 

(from Left): Cecil Johnson, University Relations Manager,
Emily Bliss, Training Consultant; Stein Brunvand, CEHHS Director
Master's Degree Programs and Christopher Carline, Training Consultant

Cecil Johnson, University Relations Manager at Quicken Loans, shared information about the wide range of paid internship opportunities including those in training and curriculum development, instructional technology, assessment and evaluation and marketing.

Training consultants Emily Bliss and Christopher Carline encouraged students from a variety of majors to apply including instructional technology majors and teacher certification students.  Internships are available during the fall, winter and summer.

Dr. Everett and Dr. Brunvand were able to tour some of the Quicken Loans owned properties in downtown Detroit to learn about the culture and climate of the work environment where interns are placed. Interns gain real world experience by working on authentic tasks with a designated team at Quicken Loans.

The internships also include opportunities to learn about city, participate in volunteer activities in the community and enjoy many of the wonderful events that downtown Detroit offers.

For more information on student internships, please see current postings on the Quicken Loans site.

A healthy community grows at the College of Education, Health and Human Services

MHealthy, the University of Michigan's health and wellness program, provides resources designed to build healthy communities for employees and students.

To that end, Janine Janosky, Dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Services, is excited about the opportunity to provide CEHHS employees a Relaxation & Wellness Den, which includes a MHealthy grant-funded massage chair. Professors and staff will be able to enjoy it as it becomes available in the first quarter of 2016.

Please enjoy this brief video to learn more about this program as it is explained by the CEHHS MHealthy triad members: Dean Janine Janosky (supervisor); Professor Sharon Werner (MHealthy Champion) and Craig Kotajarvi (MHealthy Wellness Coordinator).




To learn about the programs implemented by other MHealthy triads, please watch the full MHealthy Triads video here.

Dean Janine Janosky invited as Keynote Speaker to World Congress in Dubai

Dean Janosky during her presentation in Dubai

Dubai, UAE - Dr. Janine Janosky, Dean of the College of Education, Health, and Human Services at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, participated as keynote speaker at the World Congress on Nursing in Dubai, UAE on November 23, 2015.

Each day of the congress had its own theme and Dr. Janosky's session was held on Day 1 which was focused on Nursing Education and Research. Her conference concentrated on the development and implementation of innovative education and health community-centered academic programs.

Dr. Janosky recognizes the importance of fostering and developing social and physical environments that promote wellness and good health for all. In order to achieve this goal, she mentioned that "One important consideration is addressing the impact of social determinants, including economic stability, education, social and community context, health and health care, and the neighborhood and built environment."

Being an expert in achieving impactful health initiatives, along with implementing higher education programs and initiatives, Dr. Janosky's presentation was of great interest to those attending the event.

The World Congress on Nursing was held during November 23-25 in Dubai, UAE receiving participants from around the globe (70 countries and 6 continents) representing universities, governments, health and health care. The theme of the conference was "Creating the Future" addressing the shift in medicine and healthcare from management of disease towards promoting wellness and the importance of working together to ensure that all have equal opportunities to a healthy life.

Keynote speakers at the 2015 World Congress on Nursing in Dubai, UAE

CEHHS creates Center for Disparity Solutions and Equity

More Info Click here

The College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS) has a plan to create a change in reducing inequalities. The Center for Disparity Solutions and Equity, which started in fall 2015, is a focused center for studying, researching, disseminating and implementing promising evidence-based solutions to reduce inequalities. The goal of the Center for Disparity Solutions and Equity is to bridge the gap in education, health and human services by making connections for those with a need and those looking to assist in the movement toward equity.

Terri Laws, assistant professor of health and human services and African and African American studies, said she’s seen firsthand the inequities in healthcare. Laws said she’s been looking forward to see the center open because it is “the right project for Detroit and its metro region right now.”
“No matter what we look like and where we’ve come from, we are all in need of healthcare and education. Having access to these is a human right,” said Laws.

View full article in The Reporter

Center for Autism: CEHHS and Beaumont initiative awarded $750,000

The College of Education and Health and Human Services (CEHHS) was awarded $750,000 by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to assist in starting the Center for Autism, a University of Michigan-Dearborn and Beaumont Health System partnership.

CEHHS Dean Janine Janosky said that nearly 18,000 students were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 2011 and there is an estimated of 50,000 Michigan residents with ASD. Educators with experience on this special need are in demand.

“If you look at the prevalence and incidence for diagnosis of the autism spectrum disorder in Michigan, you see there is an increase in both. You also see there is a gap between the number of individuals prepared to work in that profession and the individuals being diagnosed,” she said. “So the college is here to work to fill that gap.”

The goal is to train at least 225 registered behavior technicians. In addition, the center will educate 25 board certified assistant behavior analysts (BCaBA) through a certificate program.

The center—which will be housed in the building shared by UM-Dearborn’s Early Childhood Education Center and Beaumont’s Center for Exceptional Families (CEF)—is expected to open in Fall 2016.

View full article in The Reporter.

Health Academy professional development opportunity

Are you or your staff interested in using or refining your use of "hotspotting" as a way of identifying participants or patients in high-use environments?

Join the College of Education, Health, and Human Services for new professional development "Health Academy" opportunity targeting specific high-impact skill development for individuals in health, non-profit, and social service fields.

Learn techniques for using a hotspotting approach to build data-driven interventions.

Contact Associate Dean Laura Reynolds for more information: 

lrkeefer@umich.edu
313.593.5098

 

Center for Disparity Solutions and Equity

The new Center for Disparity Solutions and Equity of the University of Michigan-Dearborn College of Education, Health, and Human Services works on the implementation of solutions to eliminate disparities and promote equity in education, health, and human services.

 Contact:
  Dean Janine Janosky
  (313)593-5435
  jjanosky@umich.edu
  umdearborn.edu/cehhs

CEHHS offers three new certificate programs

The University of Michigan-Dearborn College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS) has launched three new certificate programs for both current students and professionals looking to refine their skills.

I. Certificates in Addiction Studies,
II. Teaching English to Students of Other Languages (TESOL)
III. STEM2 now are available for enrollment. 

I. Addiction Studies Certificate
 Julie Roddy, chair of the Department of Health and Human Services, said the certificate courses will look at addiction from both the medical/health side and the criminal justice side.

The Addiction Studies Certificate program will provide instruction in the role of medicine in addiction, substance abuse identification methodologies, substance abuse treatment modalities and substance abuse prevention strategies. There is a specific emphasis on treatment availability within Detroit.

II. TESOL Certificate
The Teaching English to Students of Other Languages (TESOL) Certificate program is for those who want to teach the English language—both locally and internationally—to those outside of the Pre-Kindergarten to 12 public school system.

III. STEM2 Certificates
The STEM2 Certificate program is a collaborative program between the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services to provide opportunities for students to further their knowledge and skills in STEM2—science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine.

Susan Everett, chair of the Department of Education, said she noticed a need for a formalized program while conducting STEM-focused workshops and having educators ask her questions.

Three STEM2 certificate programs are available: 

1) A Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Certificate 
2) A certificate of K-8 Teaching of STEM2.
3) A Graduate Certificate of STEM2.

For more information about these certificates, contact Judy Garfield at jlgarfie@umich.edu.

View full full article in The Reporter

CEHHS working on the development of a new Autism center

FLINT, MI - The College of Education, Health and Human Services (CEHHS) in collaboration with Oakwood Center for Exceptional Families (CEF) is working on the development of a new Autism Center that will focus on comprehensive services along with family and trainee education.This was announced by UM-Dearborn's Chancellor Daniel Little Ph.D. on October 15, 2015.

Chancellor Little stated that a $750,000 grant was awarded to the College of Education, Health and Human Services from The State of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. These funds will be used to increase the number of registered behavior technicians and board certified assistant behavior analysts in Michigan. In addition, community-based seminars will be held at the Dearborn campus.

Additional information regarding the grant will follow soon.

CEHHS students help with public health needs in Detroit

Several College of Education, Health, and Human Services students spent their summer helping Detroit citizens lead healthier lives by doing internships at public health organizations—including Karly Koos at Healthy Detroit and Gadah Sharif at Authority Health, which was formerly known as Detroit Wayne County Health Authority.

Julie Roddy, chair of UM-Dearborn’s Department of Health and Human Services, said internships are important because they connect students to work experience—and, even more importantly, to the people.

Sharif, a junior majoring in health policy studies, got interested in the health field at a young age. Now works at a doctor's office and her desire to be by the side of those in need made her spent her summer as an intern at Authority Health.

“I love my job, but I felt a need to find out what’s going on in a patient’s life beyond the office setting", Sharif said.

During her internship, Sharif did a comparative community health needs assessment of Detroit-area hospitals and analyzed transportation and food needs of the people being served by Wayne County public health offices, local nonprofit organizations and more.

Koos, a senior majoring in public health, wants to improve health outcomes for Detroit residents too.

Through her internship with Healthy Detroit, she helped implement the Detroit Health Park initiative, did outreach to let residents know about Healthy Detroit Days and worked on the Healthy Detroit Passport app, which allows residents to track their participation in these events and gave them incentives to stay active.

“Interning with Healthy Detroit gave me a better idea of the big picture of public health than I would have gotten anywhere else in the country.", Koos said. 

View the full article in The Reporter

Dean Janosky as Keynote Speaker at the Doctors for America 2015 National Leadership Conference

WASHINGTON, DC - Dr. Janine Janosky participated as keynote speaker at the Doctors for America 2015 National Leadership Conference held at the Grand Hyatt in the nation's capital on October 10-11, 2015.

Dr. Janosky was part of the panel of experts during the opening plenary session in which the social impacts on health were discussed.

The panel held a dialogue about the challenges of providing basic resources to patients, enabling them to take care of their own health, particularly those in poverty.

Dr. Janosky, who implemented the Accountable Care Community in Akron, OH, said, "We must move from Accountable Organizations to Accountable Communities".



About Doctors for America:
Doctors for America is a group of 16,000 physicians and medical students in all 50 states.  They work in private practices, academic centers, community health centers, and government-run systems like the Veteran's Affairs and the Indian Health Service.  Their mission is to improve the health of the nation and to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, high quality health care.

Encouragement and guidance ensures positive results for health policy studies grad

After searching for a way to make a difference in the field of health outside of a clinical setting that would allow him to work with people who needed assistance, Ray Lynem found his educational home in UM-Dearborn's Health Policy Studies program through the guidance of  Lawrence Radine, then associate professor of sociology and Director of the Health Policy Studies. Radine retired after the Fall 2014 semester.

Lynem views his studies assisting him in moving toward his ultimate goal.  “The ability to have such a profound impact on the health of others would be an incredible experience and responsibility. My most important mission is to promote justice and equality within the healthcare system by increasing access to care for all people.”

Lynem is attending U-M Ann Arbor this fall to earn a Master of Health Services Administration degree.


View the full article in the Reporter

Undergrads support clinical research efforts at St. Mary Mercy Hospital

An inaugural group of seven UM-Dearborn students recently completed the yearlong Emergency Medicine Research Associate Program (EMRAP) through the College of Education, Health, and Human Services at UM-Dearborn.

“EMRAP is an opportunity for undergraduate students to work directly with physicians in order to support ongoing research activities and quality improvement projects in the clinical setting of the emergency department,” said Debalina Bandyopadhyay, former director of health professions advising within UM-Dearborn’s College of Education, Health, and Human Services. Bandyopadhyay worked with Dr. Daniel Keyes, an emergency medicine physician at St. Mary Mercy Hospital, to implement the program.

Click to view the full Reporter article

CEHHS Faculty and Students Highlighted in September 21 Issue of the Reporter

In the September 21 2015 issue of the Reporter highlights the work of CEHHS Department of Education faculty members Dara Hill, LaShorage Shaffer, and Karen Thomas-Brown this summer with residents of Detroit’s Osborne neighborhood.  They created and taught a Writers Club for youth at the Matrix Human Services Center and took part in the non-profit organization Life Remodeled’s community project, which focuses on a Detroit neighborhood each summer to renovate a school, restore select homes, and remove blight and overgrowth.  The faculty members worked with the teens on expressing their hopes and dreams for themselves and their neighborhood at the weekly Writers Club.

“At the Writers Club, we said you can sit there and watch, or you could be a part of the change that’s going to happen. It doesn’t end here. It was important for them to think about sustainability,” Hill said. “For the youth who participated, they shared how it was empowering to see brush cleared away or have nice green space in an area that once had grass taller than they are.”

Read the full article in the Reporter here

CEHHS Faculty Build Global Geography Knowledge

CEHHS Faculty members Dr. Karen Thomas-Brown and Dr. LaShorage Shaffer, and CASL Faculty Dr. Cameron Amin and Dr. Jamie Wraight, were awarded a grant by the Michigan Department of Education to work with 6th, 7th and 9th grade Social Studies educators in Wayne County on global geography through the Wayne School Global Geography Project.  

Partnering with the Michigan Geographic Alliance, and Wayne RESA, educators from local school districts, including Dearborn, Taylor, Livonia and Detroit Public Schools, are offered over 90 hours of professional development training in global geography content, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and pedagogy focusing on Eastern and Western Hemisphere, Contemporary Global Issues, and Era 7-Global Crisis and Achievement 1900-1945.  

In August, the first phase of the project was launched and to date, over 41 teachers are actively participating in the project.  

For more information on the Wayne Schools Global Geography Project, please contact Dr. Karen Thomas-Brown

CEHHS Special Education Online Master Program Receives Top Twenty Accolade

The College of Education, Health, and Human Services online masters degree program in Special Education was recently noted as one of the top twenty in the nation. Ranked at number three, the Early Childhood Education Zone said, "[The University of] Michigan-Dearborn special education program has three areas of study. It’s a great value, especially for in-state students who can take full advantage of the program’s diversity."

To read more about the details of UM-Dearborn's special education program, including more information regarding the whole list of top twenty schools, click here.

CEHHS Staff Celebrate Excellence Milestones

CEHHS Student Success staff members Judy Garfield and Elizabeth Morden celebrated their ten (Garfield) and fifteen year (Morden) milestone anniversary's this past week and were acknowledged with a Chancellor's Staff Recognition Award. 

Judy Garfield, Program Assistant in the Office of Student Success, worked at University of Detroit-Mercy in a support role for student activities for almost 30 years prior to coming to UM-Dearborn. In the early years , she was a full time employee at UD-Mercy, but the latter years she switched to part-time to raise her son through his school years.  In 2005, Garfield sought a full time job and landed at UM-Dearborn. Reflecting on her 10 years of work here at CEHHS, Judy says, "I really do enjoy working with students, and I want to be the staff member that they feel they can count on to assist them with their questions and problems.  One of the nice things about longevity on this job is that I have been able to build relationships with the students I serve from their first semester here until they graduate."

Liz Morden, also a Program Assistant in the CEHHS Office of Student Success,also reflected on her fifteen years of work here at CEHHS, "I love the interaction with students, faculty, & staff that I get to work with everyday!" 

CEHHS faculty and staff commend both on their commitment and hard work. Thank you Judy and Elizabeth!

Dean Janosky Highlights the Convergence of Employer-Educator Partnerships in Crain's Detroit Business News

To read full article on Crain's Detroit Business website click here

Increasing competitiveness in Detroit and Michigan requires multifaceted approaches that include educating and training a labor force for the technically advanced jobs of the future. Created through the intersection or convergence of disciples, integrated education and training programs, as well as employer-educator partnerships, can meet labor force demands while tackling problems otherwise deemed intractable.

The convergence of not only resources, including those of educational institutions and employers, but also disciplines within educational institutions, has tremendous potential to prepare the local and state labor force for current high-skilled, high-paying jobs as well as ensure an adequate pipeline of skilled workers for future jobs.

This proactive approach is also taking the form of employer-educator partnerships, such as those facilitated by the Aspen Institute's Skills for America's Future program, which fosters connections between community colleges and employers. More often, employer-educator partnerships have been initiated by employers in their local communities; for example, partnerships between the Boeing Co. and educational institutions, which range from pre-kindergarten to college levels, have informed curricula to align with their current and future labor force needs. 

Educational institutions have started to evolve to meet labor market needs in the public health sector. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, health care and social assistance jobs in December 2014 accounted for 17 percent of the total job openings, up from 14 percent the previous year. 

In addition, employment of health educators and community workers is projected to grow 21 percent from 2012-22, faster than the average for all occupations. 

Further development in this area could be advantageous for Detroit and Michigan. As an example, integrative education and training programs focusing on community health have the potential to dramatically impact competitiveness and productivity, especially given that the economic vitality of a community is highly dependent on the health of the citizens. 

In addition to simply having adequate numbers of healthy individuals to contribute to the labor force, businesses increasingly consider the health of the population prior to moving to or expanding within a particular geographical location due in large part to the impact of preventable, chronic disease (e.g., obesity and Type 2 diabetes) in terms of health care costs and lost productivity through absenteeism and presenteeism. 

Preparing our workers for these technically advanced jobs of the future requires that educational institutions design new, innovative programs at the intersection of disciplines, as recommended by the U.S. Council on Competitiveness. Through the convergence of disciplines as well as partnerships between employers-educators, the available and ready labor force within Detroit and Michigan could be strengthened, resulting in increased competitiveness.

CEHHS Student Highlight: Rachael Smart- Winner of CEHHS 2015 Outstanding Student Employee Award

I began going to school at CEHHS in the Fall of 2010 and began working in the Dean’s office February of 2011. I have always had an interest in teaching from an early age. I've had many great teachers growing up that have inspired me to become a great teacher myself. As a future educator, I see my teaching philosophy as one that applies to all children and all teaching scenarios. I believe that all children have the capability to thrive within the classroom. What impacts the way children learn is the manner in which material is presented and how it is individualized and differentiated for the learner. By ensuring that I personally know my students and can identify their strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles I can guarantee that I am guiding the children’s learning in an effective and positive manner. 

When I first began, the CEHHS was known as the "School of Education". The classes were relatively small and the college was more quiet and separated from the rest of campus.  In the past two years the School has grown into the College of Education, Health, and Human Services and has grown exponentially. There is many more avenues for campus involvement, student organizations, and collaborative events that allow the faculty and the CEHHS student body to come together outside of the classroom experience. 

The College of Education, Health, and Human Services has given me the opportunity and platform to continue working on my leadership skills, communication abilities, and community outreach projects. By providing me with these opportunities, I have been able to branch out into the community and to get a hands-on experience with issues that I feel are important. I am very excited for field placement experience this coming Fall and other teaching opportunities that the future holds. It has taken a time but all of the things I have learned made the wait worthwhile. I am excited to finally be able to get out into the teaching field!

By Rachael Smart