The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health
Established in July 2020, the Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health was created to strengthen the rural healthcare system throughout the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is a collaborating center of the Michigan Center for Rural Health using the World Health Organization (WHO) framework for collaborating centers. Overall efforts include developing a network of committed partners who support creating efficiencies in healthcare delivery, expanding access to healthcare, increasing the coordination of care, and improving the quality of healthcare services. The establishment of the Center strives to improve outcomes, reduce costs, ensure access and efficient transitions of care, and promote innovative approaches in the region.
The U.P. WIN Grant
In 2023, the Michigan Center for Rural Health solidified over $1.4M in funding from the Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, to form the Upper Peninsula Workforce Innovation Network (U.P. WIN). The overarching goal of the U.P. WIN grant is to increase the Community Health Worker (CHW) and Community Paramedicine (CP) workforce capacity by expanding and extending the reach of health professional workforce education, training, employment, and retention activities within Michigan’s Upper Peninsula region.
The ten-partner Network addressing the healthcare workforce shortages of CHWs and CPs in the target service areas are: The Michigan Center for Rural Health (lead applicant), Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health, Upper Peninsula Michigan Works, Upper Peninsula Area Health Education Center, Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center, Upper Peninsula Health Care Solutions, Everyday Life Consulting, Bay Mills Health Center, U.P. Health System Marquette School of EMT, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services – Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, EMS and Systems of Care.
Leading Community Health Worker Efforts in the U.P.
When it comes to educating, training, supporting, and placing CHWs, the NMU Center for Rural Health has taken the lead and is recognized as the regional training Center for CHWs in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. They've trained more than 60 CHWs in the past year by providing the nationally recognized core competency based CHW Certificate training curriculum on behalf of Everyday Life Consulting. The training covers all C3 Project Core Competencies for Community Health Workers and includes additional certifications in Mental Health First Aid and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Additionally, the training meets the state of Michigan’s CHW certification program requirements. There are currently 12 individuals registered for their upcoming October cohort and they will be accepting additional registrations through September 23rd.
In addition to providing CHW training, the NMU Center for Rural Health has established a quarterly U.P. CHW Network Call where regional CHWs convene virtually, listen to a guest speaker, talk about their challenges, identify resource solutions, etc. It's a place where they learn more about CHW’s immediate needs from a regional perspective. It results in connecting CHWs to individuals and/or agencies that can further assist and provide information and resources to CHWs for their clients and/or patients.
Lastly, they've established an annual U.P. CHW Symposium which is scheduled to take place on October 16th. U.P. CHWs who have engaged in the quarterly network calls have provided insight into what they would like to see addressed at this year's symposium. It's a CHW event planned by CHWs, for CHWs.
Because the NMU Center for Rural Health focuses on all aspects of improving the health and well-being of U.P. residents, they have found the work they are doing in the CHW space to be all-encompassing in educating, supporting and advancing the work of CHWs in the U.P.
The NMU Center for Rural Health’s work doesn't end with just CHW education, training, and certification but continues through on-going education, networking, placement, and advancing the CHW profession overall.
To learn more, please visit NMU Center for Rural Health.