Michigan's Women, Infants & Children program, providing supplemental nutrition, breastfeeding information, and other resources for healthy mothers & babies.
Information on the Family Independence Program, State Disability Assistance, SSI, Refugee, and other cash assistance.
If you cannot afford child care, payment assistance is available.
Children's Special Health Care Services information and FAQ's.
Information on assistance with home repairs, heat and utility bills, relocation, home ownership, burials, home energy, and eligibility requirements.
Information on the Food Assistance Program, eligibility requirements, and other food resources.
Information about the health care programs available through Medicaid and how to qualify.
Our migrant program works with a number of organizations to provide services for Michigan’s migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
A federal program which helps persons admitted into the U.S. as refugees to become self-sufficient after their arrival.
Universal caseload, or task-based processing, is a different way of handling public assistance cases.
Information on the Children's Protective Services Program, child abuse reporting procedures, and help for parents in caring for their children.
Information on adoption programs, adoption resources, locating birth parents and obtaining information from adoption records.
Information on Adult Protective Services, Independent Living Services, Adult Community Placement Services, and HIV/AIDS Support Services.
Information on child support services for participants and partners.
Programs for healthy children & families, including immunization, lead poisoning prevention, prenatal smoking cessation, and many others.
Information on the Children's Foster Care program and becoming a Foster Parent.
Information about the Michigan law that requires certain information be made available to a woman who is seeking an abortion at least 24 hours prior to the abortion procedure.
Information on treatment and services for juvenile offenders, success stories, and more.
Child Welfare Medical and Behavioral Health Resources
MDHHS and partners support a continuum of prevention services. The continuum is inclusive of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention activities. Visit this page to learn more.
Information about injury and violence prevention programs in Michigan
Information on Safe Sleep for your baby, how to protect your baby's life.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' (MDHHS) Division of Environmental Health (DEH) uses the best available science to reduce, eliminate, or prevent harm from environmental, chemical, and physical hazards.
Resources and information to assist in assuring firearm safety for families in the state of Michigan.
The Division of Victim Services (DVS) provides a voice advocating for and responding to all victims of crime in Michigan. Learn more about DVS-funded programs and services, including Michigan’s 24/7, free, confidential, and anonymous domestic violence and sexual assault hotlines.
Medical Resources for Child Protection
Serves as liaison and provides funding to Michigan’s 45 local health departments.
Adult Behavioral Health & Developmental Disability Services
Multicultural Health
Prevention of diseases & conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and many others.
Information on communicable & chronic diseases.
Home to an array of public health programs, initiatives and interventions aimed at improving the health and well-being of women, infants, families and communities.
Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Records
Boards and Commissions
Bridge Card Participation Information on Electronic Benefits for clients and businesses, lists of participating retailers and ATMs, and QUEST.
Provider Payments Information on the direct deposit of State of Michigan payments into a provider's bank account.
Information on How to Bid, Requests for Proposals, forms and publications, contractor rates, and manuals.
Information & resources for Community and Faith-Based partners
Information on DHS Applications and Forms grouped by category.
Health Care Providers
Licensing information for Adult Foster Care and Homes for the Aged, Child Day Care Facilities, Child Caring Institutions, Children's Foster Care Homes, Child Placing Agencies, Juvenile Court Operated Facilities and Children's or Adult Foster Care Camps.
Michigan Statewide Systems of Care
Information on the grant awarded for the State Innovation Model Proposal
Protect MiFamily -Title IV-E Waiver
Offers resources for agencies who operate the Weatherization Assistance Program in the state of Michigan
Information is collected to monitor the general health and well-being of Michigan citizens.
Information on resources in your community and volunteer recruitment and training, and services provided at local DHS offices.
Equal Opportunity, Legal Base, Laws and Reporting Welfare Fraud information.
A variety of reports & statistics for programs and services.
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The MDHHS Director's Awards for Recipient Rights have been presented annually at the Recipient Rights Conference.
Following are the award descriptions:
Director's Award for Innovation in Rights Protection
Nominees for the Innovation Award will have created a new or different way on enabling the vision of recipient rights or of a rights office. This may include creating a valuable new process or product, constructing a different way of approaching old problems, creating a new solution for systemic problems, etc. Because of this innovation, the rights office has demonstrated an increased ability to better provide rights services either directly (such as when performing standard rights activities) or indirectly (such as if the innovation improves or enhances the operation of the rights office.) The nominee will also have shown a demonstrated willingness to share the innovation with others when possible.
Previous Honorees
2021 No award presented
2020 No award presented
2019 Detroit Wayne Ambassador Program, Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network
2018 Jennifer Gorman, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital
2018 Katie Smith, Northpointe Behavioral Healthcare Systems
2017 Matt Zugel, Washtenaw County CMH, University of Michigan Health System
2016 Mark Mishal, Macomb County CMH Services
2016 Briana Squibb, Macomb County CMH Services
2013 Sue Witting, Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital
2012 Recovery Care Committee, Center for Forensic Psychiatry
2011 Bay-Arenac Behavioral Health Rights Office
2010 Lisa Jolly, Lapeer County CMH
2009 James Tenuta, Doctors' Hospital of Michigan
2008 Shane Ray, CMH Partnership of SE Michigan
2007 John McKevitz, Oakland County CMH Authority
2006 Community Network Services - "The Stigma Busters"
2005 Patricia Jolly, MDCH Office of Recipient Rights
2004 Cheryl Parker & Beatrice Stevens, Newaygo County CMH
2003 West Michigan CMH System
2002 Jonathan Bennett, North Central CMH
2001 Woodlands Behavioral Health
2000 Oakland County CMH Authority
Director's Award for Advocacy on Behalf of Mental Health Recipients
Nominees for the Advocacy Award will have made an outstanding contribution toward, or have gone to extraordinary means, to advocate on behalf of people receiving mental health services. This may include exceptional effort or initiative by the nominee directly advocating on behalf of an individual consumer or a group of consumers. It may also include extraordinary indirect advocacy, such as a rights office acting as a catalyst for positive change, inspiring other entities or systems within or outside of mental health, to realize their roles in championing the rights or needs of recipients.
Previous Honorees
2021 No award presented
2020 No award presented
2019 No award presented
2018 Telly Delor, St. Clair County CMH Authority
2017 Newaygo RRAC, Newaygo County CMH Services
2015 Lisa Haywood, Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital
2014 Renee Richards, Mercy Memorial Hospital System
2014 Honorable Judge Frank Arnold, Monroe County Probate Court
2013 John Rogers, Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority
2012 Rebecca Browne, Shiawassee County CMHA
2011 Christina Wilkins, War Memorial Hospital
2010 Jonathan Bennett, Northern Lakes CMH
2009 Les Behnken, Oakwood Heritage Hospital
2008 Sue Witting, Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital
2007 Newaygo County CMH
2006 Judy Tucker, MDCH Office of Recipient Rights
2005 Kevin Oosterhouse, Network 180
2004 Dianne Baker, MDCH Office of Recipient Rights
2003 Sanilac County CMH
2002 Borgess Medical Center/Kalamazoo Valley Community College
2001 Macomb County CMH
2000 MDCH - Mt. Pleasant Center Office of Recipient Rights
Director's Award for Consumer Empowerment
A nominee for the Consumer Empowerment Award will have a profound or uniquely positive difference in the lives of consumers, so that consumers are empowered to transcend the "world of disability" and live a life of self-advocacy. Due to the initiative or effort of the nominee, consumers will now be able to advocate for themselves, to the fullest extent possible, in the protection of their own rights, creating hope, control of their own lives, and a valuable place in society.
Previous Honorees
2021 No award presented
2020 No award presented
2019 No award presented
2018 Kathleen O'Donnell, Detroit Wayne MH Authority
2017 Tim Ninemire, Saginaw County CMH Authority
2015 Tamera Varkas, Beaumont Hospital-Taylor
2014 Cheryl Parker, Newaygo County CMH Services
2013 Mark Mishal, Macomb County CMH Services
2012 Janet Dietsch, Network 180
2011 Renee Uitto, Oakland County CMH Authority
2010 Lisa Cook-Gordon, Family-to-Family Health Information and Education Center
2009 Shannon Kaufmann, InterAct of Michigan
2008 Jack Donaldson, Oakland County CMH Authority
2008 Marc DeRush, Macomb County Community Mental Health
2008 Eunice Howard, Detroit-Wayne County CMH Agency
2007 Jeff Patton, Kalamazoo County CMH & SA Services
2006 William Allen, Oakland County CMH Authority
2005 Robert Chadwick, Tuscola Behavioral Health Systems
2004 Cindy Tewksbury, Tuscola Behavioral Health Systems
2003 Chad Witcher, MDCH Office of Recipient Rights
2002 Oakland County CMH Authority
2001 Lifeways
2000 Tuscola Behavioral Health Systems
Cookie Gant Spirit Award
Cookie Gant was a Michigan grown but nationally known advocate for human rights. She was a disability activist, a performance artist, a powerful raiser of consciousness, and a relentless supporter of diversity in every aspect of life. Cookie fought for human rights in the mental health system every day, never giving up her tough spirit, her love for others, or her sense of humor. She was an unstoppable, irreverent activist, who always maintained loving support and affection for people in "the movement." Shortly after her death in 2003, the State Recipient Rights Committee established an award in her honor and indicated that it should be given annually to a person who exhibits the dedication, demonstrates the tenacity, and advocates diligently for persons with mental illness and developmental disabilities - just the way Cookie lived her life.
If you would like to submit a nomination for consideration for the 2021 awards, the Cookie Gant Nomination Form.doc is linked for those wishing to obtain the Cookie Gant Award Nomination form and instructions.
Remember to save your copy of the downloaded form (word format) to your documents before completion of the form.
Previous Honorees
2022 Margaret Stooksberry
2022 Sheree Braswell
2021 Deborah Monroe
2020 Tameka Citchen-Spruce
2020 Jaime Junior
2019 Marcia Probst
2019 Paul Brandon (posthumously)
2018 Kathleen Tynes
2018 Wayne Hogan (posthumously)
2017 Michael Squirewell
2016 Stelios Chimpouras
2015 Donna Orrin
2014 Todd Koopsman
2013 Sheryl Kuenzer
2012 Dalia Smith
2012 Kate Zajac
2011 Malkia Newman
2010 Pamela Stants
2009 Nancy Lewis
2008 Donna Nichols
2007 James Lindsey
2006 Linda Rama
2005 Jamie Armstrong
2004 Marty Raaymakers
2003 Cookie Gant (posthumously)