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Michigan Hubs

Michigan Hubs

Michigan Hubs

Michigan Hubs are a network of community partners and collaboratives that work together to understand and address the social, economic, and environmental factors influencing health and wellbeing.  Local Hub partners work collectively to enhance social and health care service delivery, tailored to the specific needs of their community. 

From January 2024 through September 2025, communities across Michigan participated in the Hub Pilot. Local organizations and community partners defined how to structure their Hubs, what to prioritize, and how to allocate their resources.

As the Hubs pilot concluded, communities reflected on several key lessons learned throughout the initiative. Participants emphasized the importance of ongoing technical assistance, opportunities for peer learning across Hub sites, and long-term strategies for scaling and sustaining successful approaches. These insights continue to inform ongoing efforts to secure sustainable funding and support the future development of coordinated, community-centered care systems across Michigan.

To learn more about each pilot site and their projects, please click the button below:

 

Hub Pilot Sites

 

Hubs Advisory Council Brief: Building Sustainable and Scalable Community Infrastructure

During the Hubs pilot, an Advisory Council guided implementation and published a brief on scaling and sustaining Hubs for long-term impact. Read the brief by clicking the link or the image below:

Hubs Advisory Council Brief

MI Hubs AC Brief Image

Hub Focus Areas

Hub projects focused on strengthening human-centered, technological, and organizational capacities. This included advancing a community-based workforce through the training, hiring, and integration of Community Health Workers (CHWs), enhancing lives through technology and data through the development and implementation of Community Information Exchange (CIE), and connecting the dots for sustainable solutions through advancing a Health in All Policies approach.

Interested in Learning More? Explore our Frequently Asked Questions:

  • What are Michigan Hub pilot sites?

    Michigan Hub pilot sites are located across the state, organized by Prosperity Region. To view a map of the pilot sites and learn more about each Hub site’s project, please visit the Michigan Hub Pilot Sites webpage.

  • How were Michigan Hub pilot sites selected?

    Pilot sites were selected based on several factors, including community need, existing infrastructure, readiness for implementation, and the ability to support populations experiencing health disparities. Priority was given to communities aligned with the Racial Disparities Task Force focus counties (Berrien, Chippewa, Genesee, Saginaw, and Wayne) as well as rural communities and areas serving priority populations, including communities with a high prevalence of chronic disease.

    To support site readiness, the MDHHS Policy and Planning Office awarded planning grants to local health departments and public health alliances to advance Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs), Community Information Exchange (CIE) efforts, and community-driven initiatives. A readiness assessment process also helped identify communities with the capacity and partnerships needed to launch pilot activities.

    Throughout the pilot, funding availability and funding restrictions influenced site selection and implementation capacity. MDHHS worked to braid multiple funding streams to support local efforts, while continuing to explore more sustainable and flexible funding opportunities to support future Hub expansion.

  • How can I connect with my regional Hub?

    You can connect with your regional Hub by visiting the Michigan Hubs site locations webpage, which includes contact information for each Hub lead organization and regional partner. The page can help you identify the Hub serving your community and learn more about local programs, partnerships, and opportunities for collaboration.

  • What are the core elements of the Michigan Hub framework?

    The Michigan Hub framework is grounded in three core elements:

    1. Shared Decision-Making: Hubs are guided by community members and local organizations and pay special attention to the experiences of people most impacted by Hub policies or programs. Hubs may develop steering committees, build on established coalitions, or create new governance structures.
    2. Learning and Evaluation: Hubs strengthen the skills and practices needed to identify, design, implement, and evaluate policies and programs that support thriving people and places. These capacities are transferable to any focus area or topic Hubs prioritize. 
    3. Sustainability: Hubs leverage funding from multiple sources to address community-identified needs. Hubs also align with complementary coalitions or networks to reduce duplication and support shared initiatives.

  • How is governance for Michigan Hub pilot sites structured?

    Michigan Hub pilot sites are structured around several layers of leadership, coordination, and partnership:

    • Regional Hub Leads: Regional Hub Leads serve as the backbone and accountable entities for each region. They are responsible for convening partners, aligning strategy, managing funding, overseeing performance, and supporting progress toward health outcomes.
    • Local Hub Leads: Local Hub Leads, including local health departments (LHDs) and community-based organizations (CBOs), serve as on-the-ground implementation partners within communities. They implement evidence-based interventions, engage community members, and contribute to Hub outcomes.
    • Regional Networks: Hubs strengthen collaboration across sectors by engaging diverse regional partners, including community-based organizations, health systems, and other local parters. Some organizations formally partner with Hubs to deliver services or administer programs, while others collaborate more informally to share information and support aligned initiatives.
    • Supporting Partners: Michigan Hub pilot sites also receive support from the State of Michigan through technical assistance providers and the Hub Advisory Council, which helps guide implementation, coordination, and learning across sites.

  • What are the Michigan Hub focus areas?

    Michigan Hub focus areas include strengthening community connections, improving coordination of care, and advancing long-term community wellbeing. Investments supported Community Health Workers (CHWs), who serve as trusted resource guides by helping individuals navigate social and clinical care systems through culturally responsive outreach and support. Priorities also included the development of Community Information Exchange (CIE) to improve data sharing and coordination between health care and social service providers, reducing duplication and helping identify gaps in services. In addition, Health in All Policies (HiAP) initiatives encouraged communities to incorporate health considerations into decision-making across sectors, supporting priorities such as food security, housing stability, workforce development, and transportation.

  • Will every community have a Michigan Hub?

    The long-term goal is for every community in Michigan to have a Michigan Hub. During the pilot period, Hub sites were launched in 9 of Michigan’s 10 prosperity regions, allowing communities across much of the state to test and refine the Hub model. As the pilot has concluded, efforts are now focused on securing sustainable financing and long-term support to maintain existing Hub sites, expand regional coverage, and strengthen the infrastructure needed for broader statewide implementation.

  • Can our organization apply to be a Hub?

    At this time, organizations cannot apply to become a Michigan Hub lead organization. During the pilot period, lead organizations were identified by the Policy and Planning Bureau based on several factors, including community data and needs, organizational capacity and readiness, existing partnerships, and previous funding and implementation experience. As future funding opportunities and expansion efforts develop, MDHHS will continue working with communities and partners to explore opportunities for broader participation.

  • How will Hubs build on the work of Community Health Innovation Regions (CHIRs)?

    Michigan Hubs built on the strong foundation established by Community Health Innovation Regions (CHIRs), particularly in strengthening connections between health care and social care systems. In communities with existing CHIR infrastructure, Hub pilot projects leveraged established partnerships, community-clinical linkages, and relationships with health systems, payers, and providers.

    At the same time, Michigan Hubs expanded this work by engaging a broader range of sectors that influence community health and well-being, including community-based organizations and local residents. The Hub model placed a strong emphasis on community-driven decision-making and incorporating the lived experiences of community members into planning and implementation efforts. Through this approach, Hubs strengthened cross-sector collaboration while building on existing regional partnerships and infrastructure developed through CHIR efforts.

  • What are the anticipated outcomes for Michigan Hubs?

    Throughout the pilot period, Michigan Hubs worked toward several long-term outcomes aimed at strengthening community health and wellbeing across the state. The initiative helped improve alignment between health and social care systems, increase access to resources and support services, strengthen accountability and transparency, and elevate community-driven approaches to planning and implementation. Hub efforts also focused on addressing health disparities by supporting communities disproportionately impacted by barriers to health and wellbeing.

    As the pilot has concluded, there is continued opportunity to build on this foundation through sustainable financing and long-term investment. Future support for Michigan Hubs could help expand and sustain this work, strengthen regional partnerships, and further advance equitable, community-centered systems of care across Michigan.

  • What’s next for Michigan Hubs?

    Following the conclusion of the pilot period, Michigan Hubs are focused on strengthening alignment, while building on the partnerships and lessons learned. Current efforts are centered on identifying sustainable financing opportunities, reducing funding barriers, and supporting long-term infrastructure needed to continue and expand community-centered Hub work across Michigan. Future work will also focus on maintaining regional collaboration, advancing shared priorities, and ensuring communities have the support needed to improve health outcomes over time.