Author

Estelle Slootmaker

Estelle Slootmaker's Latest Articles

Katherine Rosenblum, co-director of the University of Michigan's Zero to Thrive program.
Michigan programs aim to prevent preschool expulsions, reducing lifelong harmful effects

Some early childhood professionals use the term "preschool to prison pipeline" to describe the way preschool and daycare expulsions and suspensions rock children's lives.

PLANE program creator Dr. Leah Ketcheson with program participants Martin Paige-Fowlkes and Amanda Paige.
Kids on autism spectrum get physical activity, nutrition support through Detroit program

PLANE, short for Physical Literacy and Nutrition Education, offers adaptive strategies to get kids moving, as well as a nutrition curriculum that shares ways to introduce kids to healthier foods. 

Kimberly Singh, My Community Dental Centers chief of community and governmental affairs, with Rebekah Condon, Barry-Eaton District Health Department emergency preparedness coordinator.
How COVID strengthened relationships between Michigan health departments and community organizations

The pandemic has caused health departments and community-based organizations to establish and strengthen relationships that are continuing to pay dividends for their communities.

R2AAA elder-abuse victims specialist program manager Angela Shepherd, R2AAA assistant director Kara Lorenz-Goings, and R2AAA executive director Julie Wetherby.
Neglect far outpaces other forms of elder abuse in Michigan – and here’s what can be done about it

Although the idea of elder abuse often calls to mind physical violence or financial exploitation, the more common reality is an unintentional result of ignorance, burnout, or lack of resources.

How can Michigan maintain care for 500k residents who gained Medicaid health insurance during COVID?

Over half a million Michiganders stand to lose their coverage again whenever the federal government revokes the public health emergency declared in January 2020.

Dr. Sabrina Ford, an associate professor in the Michigan State University College of Medicine Institute for Health Policy, is leading a project to analyze and address the causes of disparity in ER follow-up care for Black patients.
Black ER patients are less likely to receive follow-up care, and this project is examining why

A new Michigan project is engaging community-based organizations to gather information on, and develop solutions to, disparities in ER follow-up care.

Paula Nelson, Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center president and CEO, with Jessica Horton, a former Sacred Heart client and now a Sacred Heart peer support coach.
Michigan’s recovery communities offer a “total ecosystem” of services for getting and staying sober

Recovery communities support a continuum of care by providing detox services, residential treatment, outpatient services, recovery supports, housing, and more.

A father selects fresh-picked radishes at a local farm stand.
Creating sustainable, local food systems through food policy councils

This article is the second in a two-part series about food policy councils and how SNAP-Ed can help to inform that work. 

Families enjoying fresh fruits and vegetables at a local farm stand.
The intersection of communities, educators, and food policy councils for just, healthy food systems

A food policy council can influence, improve, or remove barriers in the food system that cause disparities, inequities, poor nutrition, or economic hardships. 

Dee Meux, a certified nursing assistant at Samaritas, wears Glass smart glasses.
Smart glasses help family caregivers connect to professional help for loved ones aging at home

Caring for an older relative despite having no formal caregiving training can be stressful, but a new pilot project in the Grand Rapids area is using smart glasses to help.

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