In an era marked by evolving health challenges, Michigan has stepped forward with a comprehensive
Public Health Call to Action, a set of recommendations crafted by the
Michigan Public Health Advisory Council (MPHAC) in 2023 to guide the state’s journey toward a more equitable and resilient health system. The initiative addresses long-standing and emerging issues facing Michigan residents, including health disparities, accessibility gaps, and the need for community-centered care.
Core health challenges facing Michigan
Michigan has faced several persistent health challenges over the years, many of which were amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the MPHAC, social and economic factors such as poverty, racial inequity, and lack of access to preventive care have led to severe health disparities, particularly affecting marginalized communities.
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Dr. Natasha BagdasarianChief medical executive for the State of Michigan Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian emphasizes that these structural issues are at the forefront of the council’s recommendations, which target both immediate needs and long-term goals for systemic change.
“Some large areas of opportunity we discovered when talking with the community can really be put into two buckets. One, we need to have a stronger public health infrastructure, and, secondly, we must improve communication and re-establish trust in the community,” says Bagdasarian. “Of all of our recommendations, the first three are most important: strengthening the relationship between public health and health care, raising awareness of public health for legislators, and increasing the public’s understanding of public health.”
Bagdasarian adds that the MPHAC’s approach emphasizes not only addressing specific health outcomes but also creating more equitable systems that tackle the root causes of health issues. The council identified key areas for immediate intervention, focusing on preventive health, community-centered care, and broader accessibility to health care resources across Michigan’s urban and rural areas.
“When the council was thinking about specific goals, we began by questioning if we would be prepared for whatever the next public health threat is. It could be an infectious disease like COVID. It could be something completely different. But is public health prepared? And the answer was, we've got some work to do to make sure that we are ready when that time comes,” says Bagdasarian.
Her reflection highlights a main goal of the council’s recommendations: investing in systems that can handle a range of health challenges. By improving preparedness now, the council hopes to build a stronger public health system that can respond quickly to future threats while also addressing everyday issues like chronic illness, mental health, and health inequities.
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To guide its work early on, MPHAC interviewed local public health officers, state legislators, health care providers, health plan leaders, and individuals from law enforcement and from health care, resulting in this framework.
Creating a roadmap for equitable public health outcomes
At the core of the
Public Health Call to Action is a roadmap aimed at fostering equitable health outcomes statewide. The recommendations span a variety of strategies, including increasing funding for preventive health programs, improving data collection to better understand and address community health needs, and strengthening partnerships between public health entities and local communities.
Marianne Udow-Phillips, council vice chair, highlights the significance of community engagement in the MPHAC’s strategy.
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Marianne Udow-Phillips“When we talked to people across the state, what became clear was there is a lack of understanding of public health leading to vaccine hesitancy, further increasing disparities in communities of color, especially those communities that have fewer resources,” says Udow-Phillips. “Our focus in terms of building trust began with helping equip our leaders in public health so that they can better reach their communities, a true commitment to equity.”
Udow-Phillips also explains that these community-based strategies include working closely with local health departments to ensure resources and programs are designed with community input, thereby increasing their relevance and impact.
“We talked to people in rural areas, we talked to people in urban areas, we talked to people in communities of color and those within the mainstream medical care system. We just had such a depth of perspectives, but they all centered around the same idea of wanting more information, more communication, and more effective ways of engaging all these different sectors in the work of public health,” says Udow-Phillips.
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The role of local health departments in advancing recommendations
The success of the recommendation will largely depend on how well local health departments can adapt and implement the recommendations. Many local public health officials are already leading initiatives aligned with MPHAC’s priorities but often face challenges related to limited funding and workforce shortages.
Jimena Loveluck, from the Washtenaw County Health Department, shares insights on these challenges. She emphasizes that, as noted in one of the council’s recommendations, public health departments need more resources and stable workforces to reach their full potential.
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Jimena Loveluck
“Like most people would say, funding is the first thing — but flexibility in funding is key. We don't really have flexibility in terms of adjusting funding that we receive for those specific needs and services. This means if we have an emerging need and require more resources, including funding, we can't just move funding over to help support that emerging need,” says Loveluck. “We are still really struggling with the workforce in some of our areas, particularly among our public health nurses, sanitarians, and other necessary staff.”
Despite these challenges, local officials are optimistic about the council’s focus on preventive care, which they see as an essential component in reducing long-term health care costs and improving overall population health.
“Although we are a ways out from the public health emergency of COVID, we still see that we have lost some gains in maintaining a well vaccinated population to prevent outbreaks and other preventable illnesses,” says Loveluck.
Bagdasarian also stresses the importance of adapting outreach policies in various urban and rural environments to reach all residents effectively.
“On the council, we work closely with the
Michigan Association for Local Public Health (MALPH) because local public health is already collaborating on a daily basis. But we're focused on ensuring that the state is engaging with the health care system the way that local public health departments have done with community partnerships and with their local clinics,” says Bagdasarian.
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The MALPH staff: Jodie Shaver, Vickie Johnson, Edward Witherspoon, Gwen Tithoff, and Norm Hess.A call to action for Michigan
The recommendations aim to inspire collective action toward a healthier, more equitable future for Michigan. These strategies, though ambitious, reflect a commitment to addressing the state’s most pressing health issues through community-driven and data-informed approaches.
Through sustained collaboration and investment, Michigan’s health leaders believe these recommendations can lay the groundwork for a public health system that serves all residents. In January, MPHAC will be launching a campaign with local community health organizations alongside trusted health leaders to counter disinformation about health care and public health, specifically focusing on issues related to vaccines, to STDs, to mental health to help people make more informed health decisions.
“We are accountable to the citizens of Michigan. So we want public input and public engagement,” Udow-Phillips says. “We want people to help us continue to evolve into new public health areas that we may not have thought about. As the times change and the needs change, we must do what's right for the community.”
Brianna Nargiso, a graduate of Howard University and Mercer University, specializes in media, journalism, and public health. Her work has appeared in The Root, 101 Magazine, and Howard University News Service, covering profiles, politics, and breaking news. A Hearst journalism award nominee and active member of the National Association for Black Journalists, she has also worked with Teach for America and the Peace Corps. Now a doctoral candidate at American University, Brianna is dedicated to advancing social justice, public health and education on a global scale.
Lead photo by John Russell
MALPH photo by Doug Coombe
Other photos courtesy subjects.
The Yours, Mine, and Ours — Public Health series highlights how our state's public health agencies keep us healthy, safe, and informed about issues impacting physical and mental health in our communities, homes, workplaces, and schools. The series is made possible with funding from the Michigan Association for Local Public Health.