Michigan Health System, University Partner to Improve Health Care Access

Henry Ford Health System and Michigan State University (MSU), two of Michigan’s leading education, research, and health care institutions, are partnering to make the state a national leader in providing access to exceptional health care for all residents, scientific discovery, and education for providers, patients, and families.

In a landmark partnership that will last for at least 30 years, both institutions are committed to aligning efforts across key departments and programs to achieve critical health care and educational goals, while addressing social issues that impact health outcomes for patients in Michigan and beyond.

The signing of this agreement comes just seven months after Henry Ford and MSU signed a letter of intent to significantly expand their long-term partnership, among the first of its kind for the region between a fully integrated academic health system and major state university.

Key features of the agreement include fostering innovative, groundbreaking research; increasing diversity among the next generation of health care professionals; and addressing the needs of traditionally underserved communities. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core components of the partnership and are embedded throughout the agreement in a commitment to addressing access to health care and health disparities in both urban and rural communities. For more information about the partnership, visit henryford.com/msuhealthsciences.

"Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Henry Ford Health System and Michigan State University recognized that collaboration could make a critical impact on health care in our state and across the country," says Wright L. Lassiter III, president and CEO of Henry Ford Health System. "Our two institutions have a shared commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, which means addressing and eliminating historic inequities in health care across our state. If we bring additional focus to traditionally marginalized communities, we believe that will lead to improved clinical outcomes for all."

A new urban-based public health program is planned to focus on education and research, as well as provide a platform to collaborate with other institutions. With the planned expansion of their combined research enterprise, Henry Ford and MSU are developing a joint research institute, the Health Sciences Center, dedicated to research and academic activities.

"Our research programs will seek to engage underrepresented communities in meaningful ways to identify potential interventions and reduce or eliminate health care disparities," says Steven Kalkanis, MD, CEO and senior vice president and chief academic officer of Henry Ford Health System.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are foundational to Henry Ford and MSU's partnership and are articulated in key goals and deliverables that seek to eliminate health disparities, address the social determinants of health, and remove barriers to care and opportunity for medical education. This includes a commitment to educate diverse health care providers and ensure equitable access to quality health care for historically disenfranchised and marginalized populations.

"Since the beginning of this pandemic, COVID-19 has shined a light on the health, economic, and educational challenges that Black communities, and most communities of color, face daily. While the state has made significant progress toward our goal of reducing COVID-19 disparities for communities of color, we have more work to do. We are thrilled to have partners like Michigan State University and Henry Ford Health System that share our goals," says Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II. "We must support and elevate health care systems and organizations that focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. This agreement prioritizes addressing social and societal issues that impact patients' health outcomes in our state and is a positive step toward addressing biases and obstacles that Michiganders face when interacting with our health care systems."

— Source: Henry Ford Health System

C.A.S.E. Names New Director of Program Operations

The Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) has named Sharon Dietsche, LCSW-C, LICSW, as their director of program operations. Debbie B. Riley, LCMFT, C.A.S.E.’s cofounder and CEO, says of the hire, “Sharon has a vibrant career dedicated to providing clinical services to children and families with a focus on child welfare and adoption. Sharon’s leadership has spanned community centers, public schools, residential and day treatment programs, and government.”

C.A.S.E.’s reputation as a national innovator in adoption competent therapy is one of the things that drew Dietsche to the role: “I was introduced to C.A.S.E. several years ago due to their collaboration with University of Maryland. My family was embarking on our adoption journey around the same time. I was particularly interested in the mission of C.A.S.E. and its innovative approach to therapeutic services.”

Dietsche has dedicated her 25-plus–year career to creating healthier families and communities. Her endeavors started in the child welfare field in Orlando, FL, as a foster care counselor. After receiving her Masters, she began her clinical work at Edgewood Center for Children and Families in San Francisco, where she led clinical treatment teams serving children and families with severe trauma histories. Then, as director of mental health, she served as one of the creative forces in the development of Our Second Home, an early childhood family resource center south of the city.

Dietsche’s career then brought her to the national capitol area, where she joined NASW as a senior practice associate. Among other accomplishments, she led the development of the NASW School Social Work Standards and the NASW policy statement for Early Childhood Care and Services. She also championed national initiatives to promote the awareness and prevention of the school-to-prison pipeline and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Dietsche most recently served as director of prevention and early intervention at the DC Department of Behavioral Health. There she oversaw early childhood, school-based mental health, and substance use prevention programs. Dietsche holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Social Work from the University of Central Florida and in 2020 earned certification in Leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Northwestern University. Since 2004, she has served as a subject matter expert in the development of the professional social work licensing exams in California and with the Association of Social Work Boards. Dietsche and her husband Tom are parents to three children. Their youngest joined their family in 2018 through international adoption.

— Source: Center for Adoption Support and Education

Read Justice in Aging’s Statement on California Governor’s Master Plan for Aging

We commend Governor Newsom for his visionary leadership in spearheading California’s first Master Plan for Aging, which was released recently. As members of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee, we are eager to engage in the critical work needed to turn this 10-year blueprint into systemwide change that equitably uplifts older adults, people with disabilities, and their family caregivers.

We can no longer afford to wait. By 2030, California is slated to double the number of older adults while being a majority-minority state. All the while, the number of individuals affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic conditions will continue to grow. This demographic reality touches each of us—as individuals, family members, friends, and community members. It also affects our collective ability to provide and pay for the range of services and supports needed for this population.

While the Master Plan for Aging holds tremendous potential, it can only be successful with an ongoing commitment from state and local leaders to prioritize these issues, invest in infrastructure through public/private partnerships, and address the monumental challenges across health care, social supports, housing, transportation, technology, and our workforce.

Today, we face the specter of ageism, ableism, and systemic racism, all exacerbated by COVID-19 and its impact on older adults and people with disabilities, especially among women and Black, Native American, Asian Pacific Islander, and Latino communities. We need to change the paradigm: Aging and disability should not equal loss and isolation. We need a new narrative. The Master Plan holds the potential to reframe our collective thinking and greatly improve the future health and wellness of all Californians.

We look forward to working with Governor Newsom, the Legislature, local leaders, and private partners in identifying immediate priorities and acting for change now and into the future.

— Source: Justice in Aging