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Michigan Improving Cardiovascular Health (MICH) Learning Collaborative
The Michigan Improving Cardiovascular Health (MICH) Learning Collaborative is a statewide multidisciplinary partnership of representatives from public health, healthcare, and community-based settings. Members are driven by the goals of facilitating communication and the exchange of ideas around successful approaches for mitigating cardiovascular disease (CVD) inequities. Collaborative members concentrate their collective efforts on the implementation and evaluation of evidence-based strategies that can contribute to the prevention and management of CVD.
A primary focus of the MICH Learning Collaborative is to promote multi-sector collaboration toward addressing the social and economic factors necessary for helping communities and health systems respond to social determinants present in their communities and to offer resources to those at highest risk of CVD for obtaining the best possible health outcomes.
▶ Interested in becoming part of the MICH Learning Collaborative? Complete this online form to be added to the MICH Learning Collaborative mailing Iist.
MICH Learning Sessions
The MICH Learning Collaborative hosts quarterly statewide Learning Sessions with impactful information toward improvement of cardiovascular health equity and outcomes, with a particular focus on improving detection, control and management of hypertension.
At every session, attendees from across clinical and community-based networks have the opportunity to share their experiences, barriers and improvements related to hypertension burden and control. These sessions are free and are open to anyone who is enthusiastic about improving cardiovascular health equity throughout Michigan!
▶ Want to join us for a Learning Session? See below for upcoming session information and registration links.
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Upcoming MICH Learning Sessions - Dates and Registration Links
2025 MICH Learning Sessions:- Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025 (1:00-2:00 p.m.) — Learning Session #6
2026 MICH Learning Sessions:- Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 (1:00-2:00 p.m.) — Learning Session #7
(Registration link to come)
- Wednesday, April 1, 2026 (1:00-2:00 p.m.) — Learning Session #8
(Registration link to come)
- Wednesday, June 17, 2026 (1:00-2:00 p.m.) — Learning Session #9
(Registration link to come)
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Past MICH Learning Sessions
Learning Session #1: Data-Driven Strategies for Reducing Hypertension Burden (June 6, 2024)
Objectives:
- Discuss how and what population-level data sources are used to determine hypertension burden.
- Explore how clinical and community-level data informs population-level data.
- Provide examples for how clinics and community-based organizations can use population-level data to inform their treatment practices and programming.
Presenters:
- Phillip Levy, MD, MPH, FACEP, FAHA, FACC, Professor of Emergency Medicine and Associate Vice President for Translational Science, Wayne State University, and Director, Wayne Mobile Health Unit Program
- H.C. Michelle Byrd, PhD, MPH, Cardiovascular Health Epidemiologist, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)
Resources:
- The PHOENIX Project (Wayne State University)
- Michigan Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Tables by Race/Ethnicity (Michigan Department of Health and Human Services)
- CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index (CDC/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry)
- PLACES: Local Data for Better Health (CDC, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the CDC Foundation)
- Missouri Map Room (University of Missouri)
Learning Session #2: Best Practices for Hypertension Detection, Control and Management (Sept. 20, 2024)
Objectives:
Individuals from clinical and community-based partner organizations shared their experiences around best practices for hypertension (HTN) detection, control and management, specifically pertaining to successes and barriers around the evidence-based strategies of health systems interventions, team-based care, and community-clinical linkages for HTN. Topics for discussion included: implementation of health systems interventions, such as Target BP; engagement of multidisciplinary teams, including community health workers (CHWs); and enhancing community clinical linkages through programs such as the evidence-based Healthy Heart Ambassador lifestyle change program (HHAP).
Presenters:
- Mallory Applewhite, Community Impact Vice President, Michigan, American Heart Association
- Spring Quiñones, Community Impact Director, Michigan, American Heart Association
- Anum Chaudhry, Quality Director, Western Wayne Family Health Centers
- Prashanti Boinapally, Director of Programs and Quality, Authority Health
Resources:
- Hypertension Guidelines
- Summary Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) Findings Table for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention | The Community Guide
- 2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines | Hypertension (ahajournals.org)
- Health Systems Interventions
- Hypertension Control Change Package | Million Hearts® (hhs.gov)
- Hypertension in Pregnancy Change Package | Million Hearts® (hhs.gov)
- Target:BP (targetbp.org)
- Team-Based Care
- Team-Based Care to Improve Blood Pressure Control | High Blood Pressure | CDC
- Community-Clinical Linkages
Learning Session #3: Cross-Sector Strategies for Improving Patient and Person-Centered Care (Jan. 15, 2025)
Objectives:
This session focused on barriers and facilitators to improving patient and person-centered care, including:
- Motivation and messaging;
- Multilevel care delivery models;
- Payment and payment reform; and
- Skill sets, trainings, and pathways.
Presenter:
Phillip Levy, MD, MPH, FACEP, FAHA, FACC, Professor of Emergency Medicine and Associate Vice President for Translational Science, Wayne State University, and Director, Wayne Mobile Health Unit Program
Resources:
- Person-Centered Care | CMS
Learning Session #4: Best Practices for Assessing and Addressing Social Needs (April 23, 2025)
Objectives:
- Explain the connection between social determinants of health and cardiovascular outcomes.
- Identify common social barriers that impact cardiovascular health.
- Describe validated screening tools used to assess social needs in healthcare and community settings.
- Recognize the role of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in support for individuals with cardiovascular risk factors.
Presenter:
Shannon Lijewski, NCHW, MBA, CHCEF, Chief Executive Officer, Everyday Life Consulting
Resources:
- Social Drivers of Health and Health-Related Social Needs
- Protocol for Responding to and Assessing Patients’ Assets, Risks and Experiences (PRAPARE) and Addressing Social Drivers of Health (SDoH) | National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC)
- The Accountable Health Communities Health-Related Social Needs Screening Tool
Learning Session #5: Community-Engaged Design & Implementation of Health Promotion/Awareness Campaigns (June 11, 2025)
Objective:
This session focused on the importance of engaging communities in the design and implementation of cardiovascular health programming.
Presenters:
- Danuelle Calloway, Grant Manager, Michigan Department Health & Human Services, Office of Equity and Minority Health (OEMH), Office of Race Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI)
- Jen Nicodemus, Director of Health Innovations, State Alliance of Michigan YMCAs
- Ashley Brage, Program Director, Muskegon YMCA
Resources:
MICH 💓 - Beat Newsletter
The MICH 💓 - Beat Newsletter, published regularly by MICH Learning Collaborative staff, provides our partners with information about the Collaborative's MICH Learning Sessions and other activities, as well as links to pertinent CVD-related clinical resources, community resources, and other resources of interest.
For more information about any of the resources on this page, or to suggest a topic you would like to see us address, please contact us at MDHHS-MICHLearningCollab@michigan.gov.
Funding for this website was made possible (in part) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The views expressed in materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
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