Skip to main content

Health Equity through Enhancing Literacy (HEEL)

Health Equity through Enhancing Literacy (HEEL) 

HEEL supports Community Health Workers (CHWs) and partners to make health information more accessible, understandable, and actionable. Our mission is clear:  better health and well-being for every Michigan resident. 

Quick Facts 

Who we serve:
CHWs, care coordinators, and partners who serve Michigan’s Medicaid members and communities of color to improve health literacy.

Focus:
Strengthening Health literacy, Community Information Exchange (CIE), and Community Health Worker (CHW) capacities.

What is HEEL? 

The Health Equity through Enhancing Literacy (HEEL) project is led by the MDHHS Bureau of Policy and Planning as part of the Closing the Health Disparity Gap initiative. HEEL supports health equity by strengthening the skills of Community Health Workers (CHWs) and related professionals. It also improves how organizations share information and connect people to care. The free training series, Moving Health Literacy Together, offers four sessions and a health literacy online toolkit that teach CHWs practical ways to use health literacy to improve health outcomes. 

How HEEL fits into the SDOH Strategy 

MDHHS is working toward health equity through the 2022-2024 MDHHS Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Strategy, Michigan’s Roadmap to Healthy Communities. The strategy aims to improve health and social outcomes for all residents and remove barriers to opportunity. 

Strategy Phases: 

  • Phase I: Establishing the foundation 
    Focused on food security, housing stability, and health equity. These efforts make sure people have access to safe housing and healthy food, the foundation for good health. 
  • Phase II: Strengthening connections
    Built up Community Information Exchange (CIE) and Community Health Workers (CHWs). This phase helps organizations share information and ensures CHWs can guide people to the right care and services. 
  • Phase III: Long-term solutions
    Centers on Health in All Policies (HiAP), Closing the Gap, and SDOH Hubs. This phase works on lasting policy and system changes so that health equity is built into decisions across all areas of government and community planning.

Where HEEL adds value: 

  • Builds CHW skills in health literacy 
  • Supports CIE so partners can coordinate care with a shared language and tools
  • Connects residents to services that meet real-life needs like food, housing, transportation, and health information in their preferred language.

Training: Moving Health Literacy Together 

Moving Health Literacy Together is a free four-part training series for CHWs and similar roles. The series builds a practical understanding of health literacy and how it improves outcomes. 

What’s included in the training:
- Describe the impact of health literacy on health disparities and equity
- Identify multi-level strategies to address health literacy as a means to improve health equity
- How to use CIE to coordinate care across organizations

Who could watch:
- Community Health Workers
- Care coordinators and navigators
- Health and social service staff who support Medicaid members

-Other medical professionals who want to better communicate health information to Medicaid members.