By Terry McLean, Michigan State University Extension
Each year the Cultivate Michigan and the Michigan Fresh initiatives promote seasonally available Michigan foods to two different groups of people.
Two Michigan State University Extension-led initiatives promote the seasonal use of Michigan’s fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy, focusing on two different audiences. Cultivate Michigan is an institutional food purchasing campaign of the Michigan Farm to Institution Network and has the sourcing, marketing and recipe resources to help schools, hospitals and other institutions find, buy and use local foods. A consumer-focused initiative, the Michigan Fresh program, helps individuals explore the state’s bounty of fresh, locally grown foods from farms, gardens and local farmers markets, with tips on growing, handling and preserving as well as healthful recipes. Both initiatives support farmers, food businesses and consumers, enhancing local economies.
In 2018, Cultivate Michigan is promoting four seasonal foods: onions (spring), berries (summer), celery (fall) and table beets (winter) to institutional food service directors. A few fast facts about these 2018 featured Michigan fruits and vegetables:
Michigan Onions:
Are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Potassium
Grown in south central and southern counties of Allegan, Barry, Eaton, Ionia, Kent, Newaygo, Ottawa and Van Buren
Each year, the Cultivate Michigan team plans field tours featuring the featured seasonal foods for institutional food service staff and others to learn first-hand about the production, processing and distribution of the foods, as well as to network with other food buyers, growers and suppliers. Several tours are planned for the year ahead featuring Michigan onions, summer berries, celery and beets.
Both initiatives support Michigan Good Food, a policy initiative of the Michigan Good Food Charter, and several of its goals by the year 2020:
Michigan institutions source 20 percent of their food from Michigan sources
80 percent of Michigan residents have easy access to affordable, fresh, healthy food, 20 percent of which is from Michigan sources
Michigan farmers will profitably supply 20 percent of all Michigan institutional, retailer and consumer food purchases and be able to pay fair wages to their workers.
The Michigan Farm to Institution Network and Cultivate Michigan are coordinated by the Michigan State University (MSU) Center for Regional Food Systems with support from MSU Extension. Michigan Fresh is supported by MSU Extension and includes a handy Michigan Availability Guide so you know when dozens of popular items are in season throughout the year, including those crops that are produced using season extension techniques, which extends their availability over a longer period of time.
Kent County is interested in filling membership on a county committee focused of veterans issues.
By Kent County
The Kent County Board of Commissioners is seeking residents who are interested in serving the community through appointment to the Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
The new Veterans’ Affairs Committee member would fill a mid-term vacancy ending Dec. 31, 2021. Applicants must reside in Kent County and have served honorably on active duty in the United States Armed Forces.
The Veterans’ Affairs Committee meets the first Thursday of each month at 8:30 a.m., at the Veterans’ Services Office, 836 Fuller Avenue NE.
Kent County residents must complete an online application form via the County’s website at accesskent.com/boardappointments. Resumes and cover letters are encouraged and may be attached. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 27.
Please call the Board of Commissioners Office at 616-632-7580 with any questions.
People who live in the City of Grand Rapids — particularly those who live in homes built before 1978 — probably have lead in the paint inside and outside their homes. Lead is bad — especially for kids, babies and pregnant women. It causes brain damage and learning disabilities.
Some key points:
Lead poisons people — especially kids — and can cause lifelong problems.
Grand Rapids zip code 49507 continues to lead state for most lead-poisoned kids.
Prevention is key.
Lead poisoning can be prevented. There’s HUD funding to remove lead paint SAFELY through a program known locally as Get the Lead Out!The program is led by the city of Grand Rapids in collaboration with the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan, the Kent County Health Department and the Rental Property Owners Association.
Recently, the program was simplified, making participation free for eligible homeowners. The program is available to renters, homeowners and landlords who meet certain eligibility requirements. Repairs typically include new windows and siding.
“This is a great opportunity to improve your home and make it healthier,” says Doug Stek, housing rehabilitation supervisor with the City of Grand Rapids. “Sometimes people will attempt to remove lead paint by themselves – scraping and removing the paint – but that can be dangerous and make a bad situation worse. Highly trained contractors work to make homes lead-safe through the Get the Lead Out! program. Think about it: just a week or two to improve your home and, most important, to help the people who live in it.”
“I would encourage the community to take advantage of these funds for the sake of our children,” says Kent County Commissioner Robert S. Womack. “When I ran for office, this was my No. 1 issue. Keeping our kids healthy is crucial — they are our future.”
It doesn’t take much lead to create a toxic situation. One gram of lead dust is enough to make 25,000 square feet of flooring hazardous for young children, according to research jointly conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA).
“We’re talking an amount as small as the equivalent of a packet of Sweet’N Low — just that small amount is enough to contaminate the floors of a dozen homes in Grand Rapids,” says Paul Haan, executive director of the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan.
“More and more people are learning that lead is bad, but a lot of people still don’t know what lurks in their home and how it can harm children. And many don’t know that there’s funding to help safely remove lead paint. That’s why we are relentless about spreading the word about this critical issue,” Haan said.
The Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan has a five-point plan that spans discussions at state, county and local levels. Healthy Homes recommends that
All children under age 6 must be tested, especially at ages 1 and 2. When a child is lead poisoned, the source of poisoning needs to be discovered.
Homes must be tested before more children are poisoned.
Homes must be fixed before more children are poisoned.
Contractors must work lead-safe.
The community must be engaged and listened to every step of the way.
RENTERS, HOMEOWNERS, LANDLORDS: If you live in and / or own a home in the city of Grand Rapids, contact the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan at (616) 241-3300 or go to gettheleadoutgr.org to learn more. Or, contact the city of Grand Rapids Community Development Department at 616-456-3030. The HUD funding, and the time frame to participate, is limited.
By Brett Gingrich, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy Services at Cherry Health
Cherry Health’s Pharmacy is located in Heart of the City Health Center and provides prescription services for all Cherry Health patients, as well as the general public. The pharmacy also provides a 340B discounted pricing program for Cherry Health patients who qualify for the program. The 340B program is funded by manufacturers of medications and is not federally funded. This means the pharmacy can buy medications from these manufacturers at a discounted price vs. other retail pharmacies. The savings are then used in many ways including these below:
We give the savings back to the patient through our pharmacy sliding fee program. Patients without insurance or even under-insured patients can buy medications at a more affordable price. This is one way we keep medication costs down, so that our patients can take the medications they need, and therefore increasing access.
We also use the 340B savings to increase access to more services. The 340B savings we receive contribute to services such as: patient education, translation, and transportation services along with many others which otherwise may be limited. The 340B program helps make these services sustainable.
The 340B program’s original intent may need clarification, but for Health Centers in Michigan like Cherry Health the program is vital to our patients and the services we provide. The program increases access to affordable medications and furthers Cherry Health’s mission to improve the health and wellness of our patients while encouraging access. So, whether you are insured or not — I encourage you to talk to your Cherry Health primary care physician to see if our Heart of the City Pharmacy is the right fit for you! Delivery services to other select Health Centers are also available.
In need of a refill on your prescription? Check out Heart of the City Pharmacy’s Health Mart page here!
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters program. (WKTV)
By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org
While there was discussion ranging from Kent County mental health care to a new brewery in Wyoming presented Monday, April 9, as part of the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Government Matters meeting, a nuanced difference of political opinion on the federal level lead off the morning program.
Local representatives of U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) and U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Michigan 2nd District)— Sen. Peter’s West Michigan Regional Director Peter Dickow and Rep. Huizenga’s District Director Greg VanWoerkom — offered differences of opinion on the politically changed debate on gun control and student protests in the wake of the Florida school shooting.
In response to a topic introduction by the meeting moderator, Dickow and VanWoerkom expressed not only their bosses’ stand on the issue but, subtly, their own.
“The question about the most recent energy being driven from the students or from adults, personally I don’t know if the senator has an opinion on that directly,” Dickow said. “… (but) it has been pretty impressive to see the energy from the students, nationwide. I know that the senator and his wife were among those that did actually march in Washington (D.C.) recently. … Whether that is going to result in congressional changes? I think that remains to be seen.”
VanWoerkom, however, wanted to talk more about how Rep. Huizenga is more focused on school safety overall rather than a focus on gun control as the only answer.
“We are trying to see it as … How do we ensure our schools remain safe, what are the resources they need,” he said. “We all want our kids safe and that is kind of what I am focusing on from a personal level, as a school board president, and then from a legislative perspective. What are the tools, resources, that schools need to ensure parents feel safe sending their kids there.”
VanWoerkom, incidentally and in addition to his work as district director for Rep. Huizenga, is running as a Republican for the Michigan 91st District State Representative seat currently held by Rep. Holly Hughes, also a Republican.
The monthly meeting brings together government leaders of all levels to discuss issues of importance and presents those discussions through WKTV’s live, delayed and on-demand broadcasts.
The Chamber’s Government Matters meetings include representatives of the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming, Kent County, local Michigan House of Representatives and Senate, and, often, representatives of other regional, State of Michigan and Federal elected officials. The next meeting will be May 14 at Kentwood City Hall.
The meetings are on the second Monday of each month, starting at 8 a.m. WKTV Journal will produce a highlight story after the meeting. But WKTV also offers replays of the Monday meetings on the following Wednesday at 7 p.m. on Comcast Cable Government Channel 26. Replays are also available online at WKTV’s government meetings on-demand page (wktvondemand.com) and on the chamber’s Facebook page.
Wyoming’s Ideal Park suffered damage in 2014 as a tornado caused serve damage to landscape and destroyed the park’s playground. (Supplied)
By Kent County
Dangerous, deadly weather can strike in an instant. Last July, severe thunderstorms hit southwest Lower Michigan, causing hundreds of trees and power lines to fall from Grand Haven to near Jackson. One gust measured 88 mph at Grand Valley State University. Kent County has a system of sirens to alert residents of high winds or tornadoes.
Starting Friday, April 6, and continuing on the first Friday of every month at noon through October, tornado alarm testing should be heard in Kent County homes and businesses. The beginning seasonal siren testing coincides with Michigan Severe Weather Awareness Week, April 9-13.
While some communities in Michigan plan to test their severe weather alerts on Wednesday, April 11, at 1 p.m., Kent County will test sirens on the first Friday in April, as has been a long-standing policy in the County. We encourage businesses owners, school officials and families to set aside April 11 as a day to review emergency plans and procedures.
It is important to plan in advance for disasters to know how you and your family will get to a safe place, how to contact each other and what to do in different situations.
“Earlier this year, our threat was flooding. We were fortunate that early warnings had everyone on stand-by, especially those living in flood-prone areas,” said Jack Stewart, Kent County Emergency Management Coordinator. “High winds and tornadoes are obviously much more difficult to predict. Having an emergency plan in advance is critical to everyone’s safety and survival.”
If you don’t hear the sirens April 6 at noon, please contact your local township or city office.
Be vigilant whenever severe weather is in the forecast. While no location is completely safe from a tornado or severe thunderstorm, it is important to seek all possible protection. Smartphone apps are available that will provide notification of weather watches and warnings.
Severe weather “watch”means the potential exists for the development of storms/tornadoes, so be mindful of changing conditions. Severe weather “warning”mean that storms are imminent or occurring.
Move indoors to a place of safety. If it is a Tornado Warning, take shelter in a location on the lowest level of the building, such as the basement, or in a small, windowless room at the innermost part of the building.
If a disaster occurs, it may be easier to make a phone call to a designated out-of-town contact, as phone lines may be overwhelmed. Make sure that person is aware that he or she is the designated contact. Pet owners should have a disaster plan for pets as well. This is a great time to review severe weather plans, refresh supplies and make sure preparations are complete. Check flashlights and stock up on fresh batteries. Homes should have enough fresh drinking water and canned food items for three days, a can opener, an all-weather radio, and a first aid kit.
The 20th annual Celebrating All Walks of Life Traditional Pow Wow will be at GVSU’s Fieldhouse on the Allendale campus. (Supplied)
Grand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University will host a series of events to celebrate, and learn about, Native American traditions and culture through dance and song on Saturday and Sunday, April 7-8 at GVSU’s Allendale campus.
The 20th annual Celebrating All Walks of Life Traditional Pow Wow will take place in the Fieldhouse on the Allendale campus. Hundreds of people are expected to attend, including many traveling from Native American communities in the Upper Peninsula and Great Lakes region.
The event will celebrate traditional Native American dancing and music with Grand Entry performances at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., on April 7, and at noon on April 8. Doors open at 11 a.m., both days. There will be Native American handmade crafts and food vendors, as well as a silent auction to raise funds for Grand Valley’s Native American Student Association.
This year, the co-coordinator of the first Grand Valley pow wow will attend the celebration. Scott Herron, a Grand Valley alumnus and biology professor at Ferris State University, coordinated the first pow wow in 1998.
The celebration is free, family friendly and open to the public. It is sponsored by the Native American Student Association, Office of Multicultural Affairs and Division of Inclusion and Equity at Grand Valley.
Spring is here and it’s time to focus on health and wellness in the City of Wyoming!
The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department is excited to once again host the annual Health and Wellness Expo at the Wyoming Senior Center — a free event for all ages on Saturday, April 21 at the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 De Hoop Ave SW. The event will be held from 1-3 pm. Local health organizations will be represented sharing services and local resources with community members.
“Spring is a great time to focus on health and wellness as the weather warms and outdoor activities begin”, said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “This community event is a great way to connect the community with local resources focused on health and overall well-being. The Health and Wellness Expo gives everyone an opportunity to sample, explore and try something new.”
The Expo will feature free blood pressure checks from lead sponsor Med Express Urgent Care in Wyoming, yoga and Zumba demonstrations. There will also be a variety of vendors providing great resources and personalized interaction. There will be many samples and giveaway prizes for participants.
About Wyoming Parks and Recreation
The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department is committed to creating community through people, parks and programs by providing services, facilities and activities for the citizens of Wyoming and the greater metropolitan area. For more information about Parks and Recreation programs and events please contact the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department at 616.530.3164 or parks_info@wyomingmi.gov or visit our web site at: www.wyomingmi.gov.
By Dr. Dana Reilly, Community Health & Primary Care Optometry Resident at Heart of the City Health Center Vision
Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the United states. Approximately 3 million people over the age of 40 in the United States have glaucoma, and about half of those people don’t know they have it. Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that affects the optic nerve and can result in side vision loss and eventually blindness.
How does glaucoma develop?
Glaucoma develops when the eye cannot drain internal fluid. The eye’s internal drainage system is damaged, and this can cause the eye pressure to increase. This is similar to putting a kink in a garden hose; the water pressure builds up and has nowhere to go. This can then cause damage to the optic nerve, the nerve that is responsible for our side vision and our central vision. Damage to the optic nerve can first cause side vision loss, and eventually even total blindness.
What are the symptoms of glaucoma?
Glaucoma has no warning signs! Vision loss can happen over time, and people may not notice these changes until it’s too late. Once side vision loss has occurred, these vision changes can not be changed. We can not cure glaucoma, but we as optometrists can help slow down the disease.
What are the risk factors for developing glaucoma?
There are many risk factors for developing glaucoma. They include: Age over 60, a family history of glaucoma, African American, Asian, or Hispanic race, diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure, steroid users, or any previous eye injury.
How is glaucoma detected?
Scheduling a comprehensive eye exam with your eye doctor is your first step! A dilated eye exam helps the optometrist fully assess the optic nerve. If the optometrist is suspicious of glaucoma based on the appearance of the optic nerve, there are other tools we can use to determine if there is optic nerve damage. We also check your eye pressure with a technique called Goldmann tonometry. If the eye pressure is high, we might be suspicious of glaucoma. We can also measure the corneal thickness and look at where the cornea meets the fluid-draining structures of the eye. We also might conduct a side vision test to assess if there is any side vision loss. With all of these tests combined, this gives us all of the tools we need to properly diagnose, treat, and manage glaucoma.
What are my next steps?
Schedule your eye exam today! Cherry Health provides comprehensive vision services at the Heart of the City Health Center, Montcalm Area Health Center, and Wyoming Community Health Center. Early detection is key with glaucoma. Since there are no early warning signs, it is important to have your eyes fully examined to test for any early signs of glaucoma. As mentioned above, there is no cure for glaucoma, but we can help slow down the disease with eye drops, laser surgery, or other surgical options in later stages of the disease. If you would like to be seen for an eye exam contact us at one of our locations!
Kentwood’s public trails welcome not only public use but also public volunteers being watchful eyes and ears on the trail. (Supplied)
By Kentwood Police Department
The Kentwood Police Department is looking for volunteers to become part of the Trail Patrol Volunteer Program.
Trail Patrol Volunteers patrol parks and trails in the City of Kentwood by providing assistance to trail users and reporting problems — signs of vandalism, damage, and illegal/suspicious activity. Trail patrol involves observing and reporting issues on the trail including maintenance and ordinance violations.
Volunteers may choose to walk or ride a bike to patrol and set their own schedule. A minimum one-hour commitment per week is requested (weather permitting).
Volunteers must be at least 21 years of age, have a friendly demeanor, undergo application and screening process, pass a background check, and attend a one-hour Department training.
You can make a difference in your community’s parks and trails and have fun while doing it!
For more information, contact Vicki Highland at 616-656-6571 or e-mail highlandv@ci.kentwood.mi.us.
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus is Kent County Administrator Wayman Britt, who has been serving as Interim County Administrator/Controller starting in July 2017 before being named to the county’s top management position in January.
While Britt’s impressive resume includes positions at Steelcase, Inc. and Michigan National Bank before joining the county — and management oversight for the Health Department, the Community Development and Housing Department, and Veterans Services with the county — he also played basketball for the University of Michigan, and was part of the school’s National Championship runner-up in 1976.
Given this week’s Wolverine return visit to the Final Four, In Focus host Ken Norris just had to ask Britt about the lessons he learned on the basketball court and how that impacts his management style today.
Also on the episode, Christine Mwangi, founder and president of the Grand Rapids based Be A Rose non-profit, which advocates for and educates on women’s health issues. She was born in Kenya, immigrated to American when she was 11, gained a bachelors degree in the United States and a masters in the United Kingdom. Now, while she is now firmly rooted in West Michigan, Be A Rose’s name and inspiration returns, again, to Africa and to Mwangi’s paternal grandmother.
The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.
The episode will debuted on WKTV cable channels on Tuesday, March 27, and will again air on Thursday, March 29, also at 6:30 p.m., and will continue on the same days and times the week of March 19. But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
By Maram Hekhuis, Outpatient Therapist at Heart of the City Counseling Center
Many people either do not recognize or are in denial that they have mental illness, even though mental illnesses are very common and widely spread in our society. This can be due to fear and anxiety about being judged or stigmatized by others, not being prepared to cope with learning that they have a mental illness, or their loved one has a mental illness. Many people fail to recognize that mental illness does not define who you are! You have a diagnosis of mental illness, but you are not your mental illness.
You are not schizophrenic, autistic, or depressed. You have diagnosis of schizophrenia, autism, or depression. Having a mental illness does not mean you are robbed of the opportunities to have a quality life such as having a job, being in a relationship, building a family, having safe housing, having access to health care and/or being affiliated with a certain group. It is important to recognize that even though you have a mental illness and some challenges associated with your mental illness symptoms, you still have many strengths and abilities that help you move forward in life to achieve your goals and dreams. There is nothing to be ashamed of for having a mental illness. Having a mental illness is like having a medical problem. It is your body’s way of telling you something is off, and it is time to do something about it by seeking help.
Mental illness is treatable! Most people with mental illness continue to function in their daily lives and are able to live a fulfilling life. If you feel you are unable to manage your mental illness, experiencing significant symptoms that cause significant distress or impairment in social, work, or other important areas of functioning, then seek professional support. There is nothing to be ashamed of for seeking support. When you get the flu and a high fever for a couple of days, you will seek medical attention, so when you are feeling mentally exhausted and sick, then make sure to seek mental health attention.
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus, two members of the Kent County Lead Task Force, a group which studied the issue of rising levels of childhood lead poisoning in Kent County, talk about a report recently presented to the County Commission which included a list of recommendations to combat the problem.
And just in case you think lead poisoning is only a problem of heavily urban areas such as Flint, consider that in 2016 the county being statistically the third worst in the state.
In Focus host Ken Norris talks with Kent County Commissioner Emily Brieve and Adam London, the Health Officer for the Kent County Health Department. And, at one point, Brieve discussed the role of local city governments and individual rental property owners as part of the solution.
“Each municipality, each city has different rules, different regulations for rental properties, and rental inspections,” Brieve said. “So one of the things that was part of our recommendations was to gather that information, to see what a good practice would be, going on, and what we could recommend to those municipalities, how they should address lead in their communities. … I think it is a multi-facetted effort. There is an awareness on behalf of the renter and also the property owner. It is an awareness of how to take care of the property, how to fix it up. And also local government, keeping an eye, making sure the rules are followed.”
Also on the episode, The Rev. Dr. Weldon Frederick Wooden, just Fred to his friends and congregation at Fountain Street Church, who is one of currently two Democratic candidates attempting to unseat Republican U.S. Congressman Justin Amash in Michigan’s District 3.
The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.
The episode will debut on WKTV cable channels on Tuesday, March 13, at 6:30 p.m., will again air on Thursday, March 15, also at 6:30 p.m., and will continue on the same days and times the week of March 19. But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
The Michigan Dental Association (MDA) and the Michigan Dental Association Foundation are now working to organize an unprecedented statewide dental access program — the Michigan Mission of Mercy clinic, to be held June 2-3, 2018 at Calvin College’s Huizenga Tennis and Track Center, 3201 Burton SE in Grand Rapids. Approximately 2,500 patients are expected to be treated over the course of two days.
The clinic will be staffed with hundreds of volunteers from throughout the state of Michigan and neighboring states, including licensed dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants. As patients enter the Huizenga Tennis and Track Center, volunteers will register them, take a basic health history, and then direct them to the appropriate treatment area. There are no qualifications or restrictions (except possible health issues) to take advantage of the free dental services.
All patients are examined by a licensed dentist to determine their most important need. Depending on the need, services may include cleanings, fillings, tooth removal (extractions), a limited number or root canals and treatment partials to replace front teeth. They are not able to provide caps, crowns, metal-based partial dentures, dentures, implants, bridges, orthodontics or extraction of wisdom teeth. Narcotics will not be dispensed. The patient and the treating dentist will decide the appropriate service that best fits each patient’s circumstances. An individual’s most severe problem (infection and/or pain) will be given first priority.
Only one major service is usually performed on each patient. Multiple extractions or fillings can be done at one time; however the patient will not receive both of these services at one time. Our philosophy is to provide services to as many people as possible rather than provide many services to fewer people. If a patient receives treatment on Friday, they can get in line for Saturday, too.
Children are welcome. Pediatric dentists will be on-site, especially trained to work with children, who will provide treatment in a gentle and caring manner.
Doors open at 6 am and all services at the Michigan Mission of Mercy are provided on a first-come, first-served basis until we have reached our capacity for the day. Our capacity is determined by the number of professional volunteers present and cannot be predicted in advance of the opening of the MOM event. Our goal is to treat as many patients as we can each day.
Since 2013, the MDA Foundation’s Michigan Mission of Mercy program has united hundreds of dentists, dental team members, and other volunteers to provide dental care, to disadvantaged individuals. From June 1-2, $3 million in dental health care services will be provided at no charge.
Treating patients in need is at the core of all Mission of Mercy events. Individuals interested in attending the 2018 Mission of Mercy event should go here to read through the information available here prior to arriving. Familiarizing yourself with the procedures and requirements will help the volunteers at the 2018 Mission of Mercy provide you with the best care.
Michigan Dental Association Foundation Mission of Mercy is entirely volunteer run and donation based. We have received very generous contributions from our MOM sponsors that allow us to bring in the equipment and supplies necessary for the clinic. Everyone working at the clinic is volunteering their time and talents.
Nine Cherry Health medical health centers are part of an elite group that has demonstrated commitment to advancing quality care, as certified by a national leader in health-care accreditation.
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has certified the following Cherry Health medical sites as a Patient-Centered Medical Home at Level 3, the highest level possible:
Barry Community Health Center
Burton Health Center
Cherry Street Health Center
Heart of the City Health Center Adult Medicine
Heart of the City Health Center Durham Clinic
Heart of the City Health Center Pediatrics
Montcalm Area Health Center
Westside Health Center
Wyoming Community Health Center
That certification means these medical sites meet rigorous standards of patient-centered care.
“We are dedicated to enhancing quality of care at each of our health centers,” said Jodi Pyper, Director of Health Center Programs. “Putting our patients at the center of care allows us to best meet their needs.”
The Patient-Centered Medical Home is a primary-care model with high standards of access, teamwork, and technology. Research shows it can improve quality, lower costs, and provide a better experience for both patients and clinicians.
NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of American health care. Its standards for certifying Patient-Centered Medical Homes follow principles established by the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Osteopathic Association.
Several of the river flood warnings remain in effect for the Grand River and the Thornapple River, but the National Weather Service indicates the river levels are starting to recede. Staff from Kent County Emergency Management join several other agencies and departments who are now transitioning from monitoring to clean up and recovery.
Caption: Local river levels are starting to recede but many flood warnings remain in effect.
“Preparation and advance notification gave us an upper hand during this emergency,” said Jack Stewart, Kent County Emergency Management Coordinator. “We had teams of first responders, road crews, meteorologists, hydrologists, community leaders and residents helping keep us informed throughout the process. Most people followed the suggestions or directives of community leaders, and many offered to provide assistance where needed. It is this collaboration that helps keep everyone safe throughout these incidents.”
Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) reminds everyone that they can take materials that have been damaged or destroyed due to flooding (i.e. carpets, furniture) at either the North Kent Waste and Recycling Center or South Kent Waste and Recycling Center. Rates vary based on the size of the load. DPW also accepts hazardous chemical waste through the SafeChem program. Check out http://www.reimaginetrash.org for more information on these services.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Western Michigan issued a warning this morning about potential scams involving “contractors” who go from town to town after a natural disaster and offer services. These scam artists are often unlicensed, uninsured and sometimes do only a portion of the work (if any at all). More about this can be found on the BBB website: https://www.bbb.org/western-michigan.
Kent County Parks staff are monitoring the flooding in the Parks. Most trails at Millennium Park are flooded and should be avoided. Other parks have localized flooding. Even once the waters recede, there will likely be debris and mud covering portions of the trails.
Many road closures are still in effect and could remain in place throughout the week. Kent County Road Commission continues to provide updated road closures at www.kentcountyroads.net.
Two orders remain in effect asking residents to stay away from floodwaters. The Kent County Health Department issued a “no-contact advisory” and the City of Grand Rapids has issued an order to close the Grand River within city boundaries to recreational use, including anglers and watercraft. The orders remain in effect until further notice.
KCRC Roads Closed Due to Water over Road (February 26, 2018 at 9:45 a.m., subject to change)
Whipple (Shaner to Myers Lake)
Ashley Ave (7 Mile Rd to M-44)
Joyce Dr (Cannonsburg Rd to Ramsdell Dr)
Westbound Chicago Dr on ramp to west bound I-196
Konkle (east of Jupiter)
Indian (off West River)
River Point (off Indian)
Abrigador Trail (off West River)
Abrigador Trail (off West River Center)
Willow (off 4 Mile Rd)
Willow (off Canright)
Willow (off Bailey Park)
Walnut Park (off Northland Dr)
Shady Dr (off Knapp St)
Forest Ridge (off Coit Ave)
60th St (Pratt Lake Ave to Montcalm Ave)
64th St (East of Pratt Lake Ave)
Jackson St (M-21 to Oberley Dr)
Grand River Dr (Jackson St to Montcalm Ave)
Mall (off West River Dr)
Austerlitz (off West River Dr)
Riverbend (between Butterworth and Veterans Dr) (City of Walker) Veterans Dr (between Maynard and Butterworth) (City of Walker) Indian Mounds Drive (City of Grandville)
White Street west of Wilson Avenue (City of Grandville)
White Street east of Wilson between Church and Ottawa (City of Grandville)
Division north of the RR tracks (City of Grandville)
Franklin between RR tracks and White Street (City of Grandville) Sanford north of Nardin (City of Grandville)
Busch Drive (City of Grandville)
Chicago Drive at East (Wyoming) City Limit (Outside lanes only) Broadway Avenue north of RR tracks (City of Grandville)
Chicago Drive at Rush Creek (Jenison) including I-196 ramps Wilson between Chicago Drive and M-11 (City of Grandville)
State Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker on the set of WKTV Journal: In Focus.
WKTV Staff
news@wktv.org
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus, State Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker, a Republican who currently represents the 26th District, which includes the City of Kentwood, talks with program host Ken Norris on a wide-range of topics, including the opioid crisis and her coming effort to become Michigan’s next Attorney General.
But in the wake of last week’s mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Sen. Schuitmaker also talks about her support of 2nd Amendment gun rights in general but also Senate bills she voted for in 2017 which, if approved by the state House of Representatives and Governor, would allow guns in gun-free zones such as schools and daycare centers.
“When you look at mass shootings, the good majority of them happen in gun-free zones,” Sen. Schuitmaker said to WKTV. “No amount of laws every really enforces these mass shootings from happening, because murder is against the law and we still see it every single day.
“I do support the 2nd Amendment and I am a CPL holder myself. I certainly believe I should be allowed to take precautions and protect myself, and my family and my home. As you saw, down in Texas, in that awful, terrible church shooting, it was a 2nd Amendment holder, a CPL holder, that actually stopped that gunman from more carnage. I certainly supported the legislation (Senate bills) that you referred to because I believe that if teachers that are certified and go through additional training, that they won’t be helpless in a classroom, and that in certain circumstances they might be able to prevent such carnage as what we saw there (in Florida), because our kids lives are at risk.”
Also on the episode, Kevin Polston, Superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, talks about his school district’s upcoming request for public support of an extension of an existing sinking fund millage — an effort to improve safety, security and technology while allowing more general fund dollars to be spent in the classroom.
The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.
The episode will debut on WKTV cable channels on Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 6:30 p.m., will again air on Thursday, March 1, also at 6:30 p.m., and will continue on the same days and times the week of March 5. But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
It would have been easy for Metro Health-University of Michigan Health to just dispose of the huge banners created as temporary building signs when the two health care providers joined in 2016. But that’s not their way of doing business.
So, when permanent signage was placed on the healthcare providers’s hospital, located at 5900 Byron Center Ave SW in Wyoming, the temporary signs were put into storage and discussions started on how to recycle them in some way.
That is when Metro Health Foundation’s impACT Board, and a burgeoning relationship with Mel Trotter Ministries, came up with the answer — make blankets to help the homeless in our area.
On Feb. 16, a total of 145 weather-resistant blankets, along with several bags containing personal care items, were delivered to Mel Trotter Ministries in the Heartside of downtown Grand Rapids.
Dean Herried, Mel Trotter Ministries (WKTV)
“These blankets are going to be utilized by individuals and families here to help keep them warm during these cold winter months in Michigan,” Dean Herried, chief engagement officer for Mel Trotter Ministries, said to WKTV. “We are so thankful for our partnership with the impACT Board, with the University of Michigan Health Foundation, with Metro Health Hospital Foundation, for their generous donation of these blankets. We would not be able to do this without their help and assistance.”
The four original banners were made to be weather-proof — they hung on the hospital for more than six months and took a lot of beating — and, with the addition of the felt, the blankets now can provide some protection from the cold as well. Some of the material was also turned into bags to be filled with a blanket and other personal needs, also to be given out to the homeless through Mel Trotter Ministries.
“This really helps Mel Trotter fulfill our mission of showing the compassion of Christ through programs of restoration and rescue in our community,” Herried said.
In a different way, the donation — and the work put into turning banners into blankets — fulfills the mission of Metro Health-University of Michigan Health.
Trevor Mier, Metro Health-University of Michigan Health. (WKTV)
“This donation really came about as a result of us having a long history of sustainable practices at the hospital,” Trevor Mier, Support Services administrator for Metro Health-University of Michigan Health, said to WKTV. “We hated to think about these temporary banners being thrown away once we are done with them. So we came up with the idea of recycling them into something, but we were not exactly sure what that was going to be.”
The healthcare provider had some discussions, decided it would be a good idea to establish a relationship with Mel Trotter Ministries, through the impACT Board, to support the ministries’ efforts to help the homeless. And the idea was born.
“What if we took those banners and turned them into blankets for the homeless at Mel Trotter?” Mier said. “So we reached out to a vender we had used before in the past, and they cut up the banners into 3(foot) by 5(foot) sections, sewed a little bit of felt onto them, and turned them into these great blankets for those in need downtown.”
The goal of the Metro Health Hospital Foundation’s impACT Board, according to its website, is “Mobilizing community through change-makers, who use their skills and careers to drive vital change. … Many people want to make a difference, but turning good intentions into tangible impact can be hard. With the Foundation impACT Board, professionals and community do-gooders become the most effective change-agents they can be by taking on community health projects, volunteering at organizations with like causes and building a strong network of brand ambassadors for Metro Health Hospital Foundation.”
On this week’s episode of In Focus, host Ken Norris and WKTV Journal drills down into two important mental health issues in Kent County, first with the Be Nice youth mental health program, and then with the director of Network180, the county’s mental health provider and an organization currently cutting services due to state funding issues.
Christy Buck, executive director of the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan, talks about the foundation’s Be Nice program, an effort to reach into local schools, and to reach local students on a personal level, with the message of how they can become part of the solution to youth suicide.
The program Be Nice is based on four elements/actions corresponding to the letters in NICE: Notice, Invite, Challenge and Empower. And, Buck stresses in part of the interview, the challenge part is a two-way challenge.
“It is absolutely a two-way challenge, and that sometimes is the sticking point, where, if I don’t challenge that person and empower them” then they will not respond, Buck said. “They need to understand, it is a physical illness. If you want to get better, you have got to take some steps towards that. You cannot force people. But when someone sees that you care enough to notice and invite (discussion), it leads to empowerment.”
The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.
The episode will continue its two week run Today, Thursday, Feb. 1, at 6:30 p.m. and conclude its run Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 6:30 p.m., and Thursday, Feb. 7, also at 6:30 p.m., on WKTV channels but all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
Each of the many locations where the One Wyoming Community Collaborative’s second annual Winterfest community events took place on Saturday, Jan. 27, had unique offerings for the many unique communities which make up Wyoming.
And maybe there is no event, and no community, as unique as the neighborhood around the Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center on Joosten Street SW — with its large hispanic population and its bilingual communication embraced as a community strength.
The weather was great — for January — at the Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center’s Winterfest event. (WKTV)
So it was only fit that notice of events — from raffle winners, to food offerings, to games on a playground free of snow and the sun shinning bright on a January day — were all announced in Spanish as well as English.
But there were not only fun and games available at the event. In addition to a visit from police Officer Shad McGinnis of the Community Services Unit, and a city firetruck, there were several community service groups represented.
“Here at Winterfest for the Godfrey-Lee community, we have various resources partners, resource services, non-profits in our area, people that serve our community,” Sydney Hanlon, am ECC staff member, said to WKTV. “It is an opportunity for our families, our community, to come out, look at the different opportunities that are available for them, to volunteer, to find resources, to get services from these partners — and to just have a good time.
“Here at Godfrey-Lee ECC, this is just one part of our school district, and Godfrey-Lee is a community school district — it is the only school district in Kent County that is a total community school,” she added. “What that means is that we try to provide services for our community so that we do not have to go outside the community but their (social and health service) needs can be met here.”
One Wyoming is made up of a collaboration of schools, businesses, local government, churches, nonprofits and residents to improve the quality of life in the community. It is best known for its successful 1-on-1 mentoring program.
Wyoming’s Winterfest is similar to National Night Out, which takes place in August. This years’s event had seven different locations in various neighborhoods throughout the city. Each location has activities that have been planned by churches, residents and businesses of that neighborhood. Each site will have its own slate of events, but all will feature food, family-friendly activities, health related information and activities, and giveaways from businesses and other local organizations.
The morning locations, included The Dock, located near Kelloggsville High School on South Division Avenue (actually Grand Rapids), Wyoming Junior High School on Wrenwood Street SW, West Elementary School (with Calvary Church) 38th Street SW, and Grace Bible College on Aldon Street SW.
The list of afternoon locations, in addition to the ECC, included North Godwin Elementary School, on 34th Street and Vanguard Charter School on 52nd Street SW.
For more information about the event or about One Wyoming, visit onewyoming.com.
On the latest episode of In Focus, the Grand Rapids based Migrant Legal Aid organization, specifically director/attorney Teresa Hendricks and attorney Ben O’Hearn, discuss their group’s work to protect migrant workers’ legal rights and to give voice to a sometimes silent portion of our community.
Also on the episode, Michigan State Sen. Peter MacGregor (R-28th District, which includes the City of Wyoming) talks with host Ken Norris about his work for efficient funding for the state’s foster care system as well as subjects ranging from the state’s term limits law to his volunteer work for “Volley for Mitchell”, a charity volleyball tournament which has raised more than $100,000 for Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy.
The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.
The episode will continue its two week run Tuesday, Jan. 22 , at 6:30 p.m., and will again air on Thursday, also at 6:30 p.m., on WKTV channels but all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
As local health officials statewide seek to work with state officials to deal with funding shortfalls linked to state reimbursement for low income patients, Kent County’s community mental health provider, Network180, has begun belt tightening.
Having already made internal staffing reductions in reaction to a funding shortfall, Network180 executive director Scott Gilman said official notification began this week to its local partners that will have their funding reduced or eliminated — but that may be only the beginning of the local belt-tightening, he said.
“Even with the cuts, and we are currently looking at about $778K, we still have a $7 million deficit,” Gilman said to WKTV, adding that despite the funding deficit Network180 will be doing what it can to secure cash to make payments to providers. “We have to be really careful … We are the public safety net.”
Meanwhile, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) maintains its existing funding contract with the local Lakeshore Regional Entity, through which state funds flow to the local Network180, is sound and needs no adjustment.
“Rates paid in Kent County have been certified as actuarially sound for the state by an independent actuary, Milliman (USA Inc.),” Bob Wheaton, MDHHS public information officer, said to WKTV. “MDHHS pays Lakeshore Regional Entity a monthly payment for each Medicaid and Healthy Michigan Plan eligible individual in their geographic region; those payments vary according to the number of people eligible in a given month. … As stated above, rates have been certified as actuarially sound, so there are no current plans to adjust the rates.”
The Lakeshore Regional Entity manages a contract with MDHHS to provide services to Kent, Allegan, Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Oceana, and Ottawa counties.
Combined, Network180 and a spectrum of independent groups provide support to persons with developmental disabilities, mental and behavioral health problems including addiction and substance use, and the family members who access services for those needing mental health assistance.
Scott Gilman, CEO of Network180. (WKTV)
While the Lakeshore Regional Entity and other state mental health networks have been under financial strain for several reasons in recent years, the basic cause of the current funding shortfall, according to Gilman, is the difference in state funding between two Medicaid programs: the older, established Disabled, Aged and Blind (DAB) program and Michigan’s newer Healthy Michigan. Healthy Michigan provides $24 per person versus the $270 received from DAB, according to Gilman. That has lead to a $9.7 million shortfall for Network180.
“The issue is that thousands and thousands of people have transitioned, that makes the rate we are paid not longer valid,” Gilman said to WKTV.
Wheaton, with MDHHS, has slightly different numbers as to the funding differential — $271.13 and $39.05 — and also says the number of people who have transitioned between DAB and Healthy Michigan is not the source of the local provider problems.
“It is not correct that Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries are mostly people who used to receive DAB benefits,” Wheaton said. “Former DAB beneficiaries make up a small percentage of the 669,000 Healthy Michigan Plan enrollees.”
Wheaton was unable to give the specific number of people who transitioned from DAB. He did go into more detail on the state’s contract with the Lakeshore Regional Entity and other similar entities across the state.
“Lakeshore Regional Entity is responsible for providing all medically necessary specialty behavioral health services to Medicaid and Healthy Michigan Plan eligible individuals in their geographic region,” Wheaton said. “The contract between MDHHS is a shared risk contract between the Department and Lakeshore Regional Entity. An increase or decrease in the number of individuals eligible for Medicaid or Healthy Michigan is part of the risk component of the contract; additional numbers of eligible results in higher payments and reducing numbers of eligible results in reduced payments.
“The contract between MDHHS and Lakeshore Regional Entity is a shared risk contract. Lakeshore is solely responsible for the first five percent of costs above their revenue. The next five percent of costs above revenue are split equally with MDHHS and Lakeshore Regional Entity both responsible for 2.5%. Any costs exceeding 10 percent of revenue would be borne solely by MDHHS.”
But, Gilman points out, a big part of the current funding problem is that the Lakeshore Regional Entity has exhausted its reserves not only due to the DAB-Healthy Michigan issue but to a separate but recent state funding shortfall for autism-related services.
“The Department (MDHHS) and the legislature recognized the problem and fixed it for fiscal year 2018, but it resulted in a loss of savings last year fiscal (2017) of approximately $6 million,” Gilman said. “So the savings was depleted and then with the DAB issue on top of that the savings for the Lakeshore Regional Entity is depleted completely. The projection for the LRE is (that DAB-Healthy Michigan issue will cost) $10 million.”
The appropriateness of the current contract, and differences in opinions on the revenue shortfall, may well be the crux of the matter as discussions continue between local healthcare providers and state officials.
An independent study — funded by Lakeshore Regional Entity and eight of the state’s other nine Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHPs) — by the Grand Rapids based Rehmann Group estimated a $97 million state-wide revenue shortfall, and a $7.8 million loss for the Lakeshore Regional Entity.
Students participate at one of the 2017 Winterfest booths. (WKTV)
WKTV Staff
news@wktv.org
After a successful debut last year, the One Wyoming Community Collaborative will present the 2018 version of its Winterfest community-wide series of events on Saturday, Jan. 27, with events planned any seven different locations but with one goal: to get people out and talking to their neighbors.
One Wyoming is made up of a collaboration of schools, businesses, local government, churches, nonprofits and residents to improve the quality of life in the community. It is best known for its successful 1-on-1 mentoring program.
Wyoming’s Winterfest is similar to National Night Out, which takes place in August. This years’s event will have seven different locations in various neighborhoods throughout the city. Each location has activities that have been planned by churches, residents and businesses of that neighborhood. Each site will have its own slate of events, but all will feature food, family-friendly activities, health related information and activities, and giveaways from businesses and other local organizations.
Where things are happening
The list of morning locations, open from 9-11 a.m., include: The Dock, located near Kelloggsville High School at 4669 South Division Ave. (actually Grand Rapids); Wyoming Junior High School, 2125 Wrenwood St. SW; West Elementary School (with Calvary Church), 1840 38th St. SW; and Grace Bible College, 1011 Aldon St. SW.
The list of afternoon locations, open from noon-2 p.m., include: North Godwin Elementary School, 161 34th St.; Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center, 961 Joosten St. SW.; and Vanguard Charter School, 1620 52nd St, SW.
For more information about the event or about One Wyoming, visit onewyoming.com.
WKTV’s Viebit service allows on-demand viewing of Wyoming and Kentwood government meetings, including the monthly Government Matters meeting. (WKTV)
WKTV Staff
news@wktv.org
Discussion ranging from national security to local mental health care were presented Monday, Jan. 8, as part of the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Government Matters meeting.
At the meeting, a representative of U.S. Sen. Gary Peters’ office talked about Sen.s Peters and Debbie Stabenow (both D-Mich.) attending the activation ceremony of the 272nd Cyber Operations Squadron at Battle Creek Air National Guard Base on Jan. 6. The 110th Attack Wing at Battle Creek “will bolster efforts to protect Department of Defense networks against cyber threats,” according to supplied information.
Also at the Government Matters meeting, Kent County Commissioner Harold Mast discussed the current funding shortfall for Network180, the county’s provider of support to persons with developmental disabilities, mental and behavioral health problems including addiction and substance use, and the family members who access services for those needing mental health assistance. Network180 is currently dealing with a nearly $10 million shortfall due to changes in State of Michigan reimbursement of Medicaid policies.
The monthly meeting brings together government leaders of all levels to discuss issues of importance and presents those discussions through WKTV’s live, delayed and on-demand broadcasts.
The Chamber’s Government Matters meetings include representatives of the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming, Kent County, local Michigan House of Representatives and Senate, and, often, representatives of other regional, State of Michigan and Federal elected officials. The next meeting will be Feb. 12 at Wyoming City Hall.
The meetings are on the second Monday of each month, starting at 8 a.m. WKTV Journal will produce a highlight story after the meeting. But WKTV also offers replays of the Monday meetings on the following Wednesday at 7 p.m. on Comcast Cable Government Channel 26. Replays are also available online at WKTV’s government meetings on-demand page (wktv.viebit.com) and on the chamber’s Facebook page.
The Kent County Family and Children’s Coordinating Council heard a presentation by Scott Gilman, executive director of Network180, on Jan. 2. (Supplied by Kent County)
Kent County’s community mental health provider, Network180, has already made internal staffing reductions and will likely cut funding from several community-service groups and projects after a now-started period of review and decision-making.
Combined, Network180 and a spectrum of independent groups provide support to persons with developmental disabilities, mental and behavioral health problems including addiction and substance use, and the family members who access services for those needing mental health assistance.
The bad news for Network180 employees, with more than 30 full-time equivalent positions cut — and the potential of more bad news of other providers — was detailed during a presentation Jan. 2 at the Kent County Family and Children’s Coordinating Council by Scott Gilman, executive director of Network180.
The basic cause of the funding shortfalls, according to Gilman, is the difference in state funding between two Medicaid programs: the older, established Disabled, Aged and Blind (DAB) program and Michigan’s newer Healthy Michigan. Healthy Michigan provides $24 per person versus the $270 received from DAB. That leads to a $9.7 million shortfall for Network180.
The scheduled and potential cuts will also be part of the agenda at a meeting of Network180’s Board of Directors, which is chaired by County Commissioner Harold Mast, whose district includes portions of both Wyoming and Kentwood.
Kent County Commissioner Harold Mast, right, at a recent Wyoming-Kentwood area Chamber of Commerce Government Matters meeting. (WKTV)
“We are going to be facing with roughly $11 million deficit for this fiscal year, which started in October, or we are going to start running out of cash in May and June,” Mast said Monday to the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters meeting. “It is a complicated issue, (state) Sen. (Peter) MacGregor and, I know, (state) Sen. (Dave) Hildenbrand and a lot of other government officials, are trying to figure out what we can do to help it. But we are at a stage where we can’t continue to operate the way we are.
“It is not just our county, it is the seven counties in West Michigan, the Lakeshore Regional Entity. It is throughout the state,” Mast said Monday. “It is an issue of funding, the way the funding is given from the department of (Michigan Department of) Health and Human Services (MDHSS) for Medicaid eligible individuals. That has changed dramatically in the past year, and it just needs to get fixed. But in the meantime, we are running out of cash, so we are going to start cutting back some services.”
The Lakeshore Regional Entity manages a contact with MDHHS to provide services to Kent, Allegan, Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Oceana, and Ottawa counties.
“It is difficult for us because at the same time we are in a cost-cutting mode, we are also in a reinvention mode,” Mast said. “We really need to move forward … with an integration of physical and mental health, because that is what we need to perform better mental health services.”
And while funding for Network180, and groups and programs it funds, flow through the Kent County Commission, Mast admitted that, while there will be discussions on the situation, there is likely little the county can do to blunt the likely service cutbacks.
Mast said that likely only the state can solve the problem.
“Over the course of the last couple of months, as we saw it coming … we were confident until probably October, that the state was going to rectify what we thought was an easily solved issue,” Mast said to WKTV at the Jan. 2 meeting.
But “they have not recognized the discrepancy in the reimbursement rate. First of all they have resisted any acceptance of our study … they said even with that, you still have enough money. You should have enough money in your reserves. Well, we don’t … So we are at the cusp of a worse problem. All of a sudden its has come to a head, we have got to take some action, because we (Network 180) are going to run out of money … we are not going to be able to pay our bills.”
An independent study — funded by Lakeshore Regional Entity and eight of the state’s other nine Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHPs) — by the Grand Rapids based Rehmann Group estimated a $97 million state-wide revenue shortfall, and a $7.8 million loss for the Lakeshore Regional Entity.
And, Mast says, there is likely nothing the county commission can do to rescue Network180, and the Lakeshore Regional Entity it is a member of.
“We (the county commission) have not had that discussion, that would be a difficult discussion, I think, whether the county would be willing to ante up,” Mast said. “I our case, it would be $10 or $11 million. We would have to have some pretty good guarantees because that is local tax money. We have not had that discussion.”
The County Commission has not had any discussions on this issue, according to a Jan. 9 statement from the county. “There are still a number of regulatory issues that would need to be addressed (i.e. we may not be able to use County funds to supplant Medicaid funding). We continue to work with the State to find a resolution.”
There is some discussion, Mast added, that the Lakeshore Regional Entity might be able to get a commercial loan of some sort in the short term with the promise of state funding flowing in and paying the loans back. “But there is not guarantee of that,” he added.
Wyoming and Kentwood’s local state government representatives were busy in Lansing in 2017, often on legislative action they felt passionate about. (Michigan Municipal League)
When it comes to working on public policy in Lansing, Michigan state legislators try to vote knowledgeably on wide range of issues. But they often have focal points for their efforts; legislative bills which they champion because they consider them uniquely important or, often, have a personal connection.
As 2017 comes to a close, WKTV asked the two state senators and two representatives who represent the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood to tell us about one of their legislative efforts that rose above the routine job of public policy and governance.
The answers ranged from combating the state’s opioid epidemic to supporting foster care parents, from protecting people by protecting their pets to a deeply held belief in the sanctity of the unborn.
Sen. Schuitmaker seeking an decline in opioid abuse
For Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker — Senate President Pro Tempore, R-26th District, which represents the city of Kentwood and Gaines Township in Kent County — a chance meeting with a constituent who lost her child to opioid abuse led her to focus on the issue and to work on several fronts to combat what some call an epidemic.
State Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R-26th District)
First, Schuitmaker sponsored legislation to allow law enforcement and first responders to carry the life-saving Naloxone, a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose. Then, in 2015, she was appointed to Gov. Rick Snyder’s Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Task Force, which issued several recommendations including the use of the Michigan Automated Prescription System to deter over-prescription problems such as so-called “doctor shopping” and “pill mills.”
Senate Bills 166 and 167 are expected to be signed by the governor soon.
“Every community across our state has experienced the devastating effects of prescription drug and opioid abuse,” Schuitmaker said to WKTV. “My colleagues and I have heard from parents of victims, individuals who have suffered from addiction, medical specialists, law enforcement and many others.
“Though many tragedies have happened in recent years, Senate Bills 166 and 167 are a culmination of hard work from every end of the spectrum to help put an end to this crisis. … This legislation will put an end to pill mills and other illegal operations by creating a paper trail for every Schedule 2 through Schedule 5 controlled substance. A quick, three-second search gives health care professionals a complete outline of a patient’s controlled substance prescription history; allowing them to see if something doesn’t look right.”
Rep. Brann takes love of animals to legally protected level
Anybody who knows Rep. Tommy Brann — R-77th District, including the City of Wyoming and Byron Township — knows he often explains his stands on issues with stories about people in his community if not in his restaurant. In this, his first year working in Lansing, he says one of his “pet” efforts was the introduction of House Bill 4332 and House Bill 4333, which increases the penalties of animal cruelty.
“I call HB 4332 the ‘Howie Bill’ because it changes the definition of animals to reflect them as companions in law, which is how I saw my dog Howie,” Brann said to WKTV. But the bill really has more of a backstory than just the legislator’s dog.
State Rep. Tommy Brann (R-77th District)
“While clearing tables at my restaurant and I overheard at booth #99 customers talking about the best way to get revenge on someone was to kill their dog,” Brann said. “This had a major impact on me, because of how much pets mean to me. Animal abuse should not be tolerated, and the proper, humane treatment of animals is good for society. According to multiple studies, there is a correlation between animal abuse and domestic violence.”
According to Brann, HB 4332 and 4333 make it a crime to knowingly kill, torture, or mutilate a companion animal, knowingly administer poison to a companion animal, or threaten to do any of those things, with the intent to cause mental suffering or distress to a person or exert control over a person. The bill also increases penalties for some existing animal abuse crimes, and expands some existing crimes. The legislation keeps some penalties against animal abusers the same but adds three tiers to the sentencing guidelines, and there is no minimum sentencing guidelines.
The House passed HB 4332 (92-15) and 4333 (90-17) and are currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee for review, he said.
Rep. Johnson follows his beliefs with anti-abortion effort
Rep. Steve Johnson — R-72nd District, which includes the City of Kentwood — is also in his first year in Lansing. And while he has had a busy year and been active on many issues, he was Christian conservative before he was elected and will be whenever he finally leaves state government. So his support of right-to-life issues are strong.
State Rep. Steven Johnson, left, talks with WKTV Journal: In Focus host Ken Norris during a 2017 interview. (WKTV)
“The first piece of legislation I introduced that I’m very passionate about is HB 4221, which would prohibit the state from sending money to clinics in Michigan that provide elective abortion services,” Johnson said to WKTV. “Protecting the sanctity of life is a responsibility I take very seriously. Our budget in Michigan should not be used to fund abortion clinics, whether directly through state-generated revenue or indirectly with money we receive from the federal government.”
HB 4221 is currently awaiting a vote in the House Appropriations Committee, he said.
Sen. MacGregor works to support child care efforts
As chairman of the Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, Sen. Peter MacGregor — R-28th District, which includes the City of Wyoming — has been working to reform the Child Care Fund for several years, most recently and specifically through Senate Bills 529 and 530.
State Sen. Peter MacGregor (R-28th District)
MacGregor has “worked closely with the Child Care Fund and the groups involved with taking care of this vulnerable population of children for over five years,” according to a statement from his office to WKTV. “What started out as a meeting to examine slow payments to counties and non-profit service providers from the state, eventually morphed into a two-year workgroup with the goal of changing the Child Care Fund payment system.”
Michigan’s Child Care Fund (CCF) provides financial reimbursement to counties for community-based programming and placement costs for youth with an annual budget of approximately $400 million. The workgroup included the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, county courts and other county representatives, and non-profit child placing agencies.
SB 529 and 530 amend the Social Welfare Act to improve the reimbursement process. The Child Care Fund pays for costs associated with foster care/child welfare and the juvenile justice services.
“Currently, it’s a convoluted system both in function and process where there is a 50-50 cost sharing between the state and counties,” according to the statement. “The goal of this legislation, which will transition to a state pays first system, is to make the system more efficient and to clarify the process relative to what is reimbursed.
“It’s been a delicate balance because separately each member of this group plays a different role in caring for the children and in how they use or oversee the fund. However, the communication, commitment to work on solutions and the time put into the proposed solution has really been amazing.”
SB 529 and 530 had overwhelming support in the Senate and are expected to gain a positive the state House of Representatives vote January 2018.
There is no doubt that a large portion of the caseload of Kent County courts involves persons arrested with clear mental health issues, and that the system in which those persons are handled is burdensome for the courts, not constructive for the arrested, and — ultimately — often do not make the community safer.
Network 180’s director of network services Ross Buitendorp talks with program host Ken Norris. (WKTV)
But a new county Mental Health Court program — involving law enforcement, courts and the county’s pubic mental health and substance use disorder services provider, Network 180, aims to change the system for the betterment of all.
On the latest WKTV Journal: In Focus, Network 180’s director of network services Ross Buitendorp talks with program host Ken Norris about a program that substitutes a problem-solving model for traditional criminal court processing.
Also on this episode, Katie Fahey, president and treasurer of Voters Not Politicians, a non-partisan ballot committee seeking to put before voters in 2018 a proposal to end gerrymandering in Michigan, talks about the state’s current system of drawing election district maps and how and why the plan Voters Not Politicians are advocating for would change the redistricting system.
The episode will debut Tuesday, Dec. 5, at 6:30 p.m., and will again air on Thursday, and again next week on the same days and times on WKTV channels but all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.
Just in case you think Kent County’s budget planning process is not big news, consider that its approved 2018 budget of $417 million will be second highest in the area, behind only the City of Grand Rapids’ $528 million budget, and that the county funds the sheriff’s office and courts, social services, the county’s elections, and veterans services.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners voted this week to approve a plan for how the county government will spend more than $356 million in 2018 — with public safety programs gaining the lion’s share at nearly $87 million, followed closely by social services programs at just over $81 million.
The county total budget includes $61 million in “transfers out” funding, which is designated funds for programs such as the Friend of the Court program. And the county’s main discretionary fund for operating and capital expenditures, its general fund, will be about $172 million.
In comparison to the 2018 plan, the county’s actual 2016 total expenditures were about $339 million and its adopted (but not yet completed and actual) expenditures for 2017 were $371 million.
The 2018 General Appropriation Act is on the agenda for approval by the Board of Commissioners at its meeting scheduled for the Nov. 30 — and after a lengthy budgeting process and public hearings, it is expected to be approved.
Commissioner Harold Voorhees
“It was in some ways a bit easier than many of the budgets (from) previous years in that, especially from 2007, we went through years of declining revenue — property values (and the county’s tax base) were on the decline, thus our property tax revenues declined,” Commissioner Harold Voorhees said to WKTV. “This year that is not so. (But) did that make budget discussions easier? No.”
Voorhees represents county District 8, which is all within the City of Wyoming. This was his 14th year serving on the county’s Finance and Physical Resources Committee.
The other commissioners representing Wyoming and Kentwood include Harold Mast (District 12/Wyoming and Kentwood), Betsy Melton (District 13/Kentwood), Matt Kallman (District 9, mostly the Byron Township but also a small portion of the City of Wyoming) and Stan Ponstein (District 7, the City of Grandville but also a small portion of the City of Wyoming).
Tax millage rate down slightly this year; more coming?
While not successful in this year’s budgeting process, Voorhees also said he plans to continue his outspoken efforts to institute a reduction in next year’s county income from property taxes.
“I was out front in my support of the dedicated millage for the John Ball Zoo and the Grand Rapids Public Museum,” he said. “This new revenue, and along with other savings and increases in revenues, caused me to seek a property tax reduction on Kent County families and all property owners. (But) I had to realize I had started my request for lowering taxes too late in the process for this budget year.”
The county tax millage rate, as proposed for the 2018 budget, is 6.0518 mills, which, according to the county, “is 0.0078 mills less than the millage rate levied for the 2017 budget due to the Headlee roll-back. As a result, Kent County’s total millage rate would be the 14th lowest in Michigan and the third lowest of the 13 counties in the West Michigan Region.”
Sheriff Department leads in increased expenditures
To break down the county’s general fund expenditures of about $172 million, which represents a 3.3 percent increase from the 2017 budget year, according to the county’s budget report. The budget includes operating expenditures of $134.0 million, including capital expenditures of $2.2 million, and $38.3 million to support the operations of other funded programs.
The Sheriff Department’s general fund budget will increase 5.2 percent, from $59.9 million in 2017 to $63.0 million in 2018. The personnel cost in the Sheriff’s budget is up $2.4 million, or 5.3 percent over the current year. This is attributed to general personnel increases and the addition of five correction positions, according to the county.
Some of the other highlights of the 2018 budget, according to the county, are: a Health Department appropriation of $29.2 million which represents a 3.6 percent increase over the 2017 budget; a total Child Care programs budget of $27.7 million that represents a 9.5 percent decrease; and a Circuit Court budget of $17.8 million that represents a 2.2 percent increase.
When someone says Habitat for Humanity, people might think of President Jimmy Carter pounding nails in some far away foreign county, or of volunteers working in low-income urban areas of this country. Habitat for Humanity is that, but it is also so much more — including recent efforts to assist local veterans with their housing.
Habitat for Humanity of Kent County executive director Bri McKee visits the set of WKTV Journal: In Focus to talk with program host Ken Norris. (WKTV)
On the latest WKTV Journal: In Focus, Habitat for Humanity of Kent County executive director Bri McKee talks with program host Ken Norris about her program’s religious foundations, its worldwide scope, but also its local neighborhood results.
Also on this episode, Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce president Bob O’Callaghan, a regular guest to In Focus, talks about the recent grand opening of 28 West Place — a redevelopment on 28th Street that was the result of a focused public-private partnership — but that is just a highpoint in recent and upcoming chamber activities.
The episode will debut Tuesday, Nov. 21, at 6:30 p.m., and will again air on Thursday, and again next week on the same days and times on WKTV channels but all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.
By Paul Haan, Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan
After a decade of decline, the number of lead-poisoned children in Kent County is rising. Recent data shows a 40 percent increase in lead-poisoned children in the 49507 zip code during the past two years. This Grand Rapids neighborhood leads the state in numbers of lead-poisoned children. In fact, more children were lead poisoned in 49507 than all seven Flint zip codes combined — before, during, and after the Flint water crisis.
According to data provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), 615 Kent County children had elevated blood-lead levels in 2016 — the year for which most recent data is available. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established 5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) as the reference level at which the CDC recommends public health actions be initiated.
Two out of every three lead poisoned-children in Kent County live in zip codes 49507, 49504 or 49503. These are high-poverty, high-minority neighborhoods in Grand Rapids. African-American children were lead-poisoned at twice the rate of white children in Grand Rapids in 2015, according to MDHHS data.
“Many people are unaware that lead exposure from dust in the house and soil in the yard is the culprit,” said Paul Haan, executive director of the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan and gubernatorial appointee to the state of Michigan’s Child Lead Exposure Elimination Commission.
It should be noted that lead in the water is not the cause here: The city of Grand Rapids water testing under the federal Lead and Copper Rule demonstrates that Grand Rapids has been in compliance since 2001. The amount of lead in Grand Rapids water is far below federal thresholds and is among the safest in the state.
Currently, houses in Kent County aren’t required to be tested for lead. A property owner can sell, rent or remodel a home without checking it for lead or lead hazards. The city of Grand Rapids last updated its housing codes in regards to lead in 2005.
“Many property owners and property dwellers may have no idea that dangerous lead exists in their home,” Haan said. “Even well-intentioned remodelers might not be dealing properly with lead and actually making the problem worse.”
Haan also said there is a correlation between the current housing crisis and the increase in lead poisoning. “With West Michigan’s robust real estate market, it’s harder now to find healthy homes to live in. The seller’s market is great for sellers but not necessarily good for buyers and renters.”
Last fall, Grand Rapids was awarded $2.9 million in HUD funding to fix homes with lead-based paint hazards. Typical “fixes” include new windows and exterior painting or siding. The HUD funding is available to eligible homeowners, landlords and tenants.
The city of Grand Rapidsadministers the funding locally. In September of this year, the city expanded program eligibility, making funding available to even more people.
Anyone who owns or rents a home in the city of Grand Rapids built before 1978 is encouraged to learn about funding eligibility. For more information, please call the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan at 616.241.3300 or visit www.GetTheLeadOutGR.org. Or, contact the city of Grand Rapids Community Development Department at 616.456.3030.
The House of Representatives defeated an overhaul of Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance system on a 45-63 vote Thursday night after 90 minutes of debate on the House floor but months of political bickering and conflicting advertising efforts.
The Nov. 2 defeat of the house bill also brought conflicting reactions from local and statewide officials.
Wyoming- and Kentwood-area representatives Tommy Brann (R-77th District) and Steve Johnson (R-72nd) split their votes on the issue, with Johnson voting in support and Brann in opposition.
“Tonight, I voted in support of reforming Michigan’s no-fault insurance system,” Johnson wrote in a supplied Facebook post explaining his vote. “Michigan drivers pay the highest rates in the nation for car insurance, which is why this is one of the top issues many of you discuss with me all across the district. While the proposed plan wasn’t perfect, it was a step in the right direction to provide coverage choice, reign in fraud, and lower rates for Michigan drivers. Unfortunately, a majority of my colleagues did not vote in support … (however, I) … look forward to seeing the conversation on this important and meaningful topic continue in the future.”
State Rep. Tommy Brann
While Brann said he thought “90 percent of the bill was good” he said the three-tiered approach to medical coverage limits was just not something he could go along with. “I have the obligation to my constituents,” Brann said to WKTV Friday. “An obligation to protect them and make the right decisions for them.”
He said he thought that if some families chose the lower medical limits and then were in an accident, it could be disastrous. “I’m thinking about the parent with a little girl, and they are in an accident and that little 10-year-old girl needs rehabilitation for the rest of her life.”
“This is important, and I hope we will continue to work on this,” he said. “But I just do not think it (this bill) would protect my constituents.”
Michigan’s high insurance rates in the nation, according to most critics, are because of the current no-fault insurance system’s unlimited medical benefits for people injured in car accidents, as well as insurance companies’ ability to charge different rates based on where people live — a particular problem for urban areas such as Detroit.
Few believed the packages of changes, House Bill 5013, was a complete fix for the many problems of the existing system, but some viewed it as a start in providing rate-payer relief from the highest auto insurance rates in the nation.
Supporters of the bill, including the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, said the bill “could” save motorists and businesses as much as $1 billion a year by allowing persons buying insurance choices on what amount of medical coverage they need buy. It also would have imposed price limits on medical providers who care for auto accident victims.
In general, the bill was also supported by auto insurance providers, but opponents often pointed out that there were not guarantees that insurance rates would go down — something one local insurance agent did not agree with.
“While there are no guarantees, anytime you install a reimbursement schedule that caps charges at a lower rate than today it would seem a good thing” for rate payers, Pat Curran, managing agent of Wyoming’s Precision Insurance Agency, said to WKTV. “One of the hardest parts in insurance pricing is knowing what your costs are going to be. Under the current system there is no such pricing structure.”
In general, the bill was opposed by the state’s medical providers and trial lawyers, but it also was opposed by lawmakers and others who pointed out that there was no guarantee that insurance providers would lower rates as a result of the changes.
“The Michigan Health & Hospital Association has been adamantly opposed to House Bill 5013 throughout deliberations on the bill, and we are encouraged by the fact that the Michigan House of Representatives opted to vote down what was simply a bad bill,” Brian Peters, CEO at the MHA, said in a statement released on their website Thursday night.
“We know that Michigan drivers want lower rates when it comes to their auto insurance premiums, and we would welcome the opportunity to work with legislators if and when they decide to go back to the drawing board when it comes to meaningful rate relief for drivers that protects benefits available to those seriously injured in auto accidents.”
The Michigan Chamber of Commerce also reacted to the defeat of the bill, saying in a statement that it was disappointed in the “63 of the 110 members of the Michigan House who turned their backs on Michigan drivers today and voted ‘no’ on reforms to the state’s broken and costly auto insurance system.”
“Lawmakers had a real opportunity today to drive down Michigan’s highest-in-the-nation auto insurance premiums,” Rich Studley, chamber president & CEO, said in the statement. “Unfortunately, 63 members of the Michigan House chose to turn their backs on their constituents and the state’s 7.1 million drivers and side with a handful of greedy ambulance-chasing personal injury attorneys and hospitals that profit from the status quo.”
“Even though the vote today failed, these lawmakers will need to explain their no vote to their constituents,” Jim Holcomb, general counsel for the chamber, said in the statement. “We remain confident that the drivers of our state won’t find these lawmakers’ excuses acceptable and force them back to the table to tackle the very real problem of Michigan’s highest-in-the-nation auto insurance costs and its primary cost-drivers.”
Holland Home will host world-renowned dementia expert and educator, Teepa Snow, for a free seminar on dementia on Wednesday, Nov. 8. ‘Dementia 360°:Seeing it from all Directions’, will cover dementia from a variety of perspectives, and is ideal for caregivers, family members and healthcare professionals.
Snow will provide a comprehensive analysis and care perspective on dementia, including its impact on the person living with it.She will discuss the disease process, how a person experiences a change in brain ability and the effects on the family and support networks.Snow is an advocate for those living with dementia and has made it her personal mission to help families and professionals better understand how it feels to live with various forms of dementia.The seminar aims to help participants gain a deeper knowledge of dementia and learn key strategies for how to best relate to and provide care for those suffering with the disease.
“Dementia has a profound impact on each person it touches,” said Mina Breuker, CEO & President of Holland Home. “Holland Home is a leader in memory care and we want to equip caregivers and family members with information and tools to provide compassionate care for individuals living with the disease. We’re excited to host Teepa Snow, and learn from her personal experience with and professional expertise on dementia.”
Snow’s philosophy and education reflect her lifelong journey with dementia.Her person-centered approach has evolved to meet the complex and unique needs of individuals with the disease.Snow strives to grow an appreciation of differences with seminar participants that will lead to better care and support of those living with changing abilities.
The seminar will be held at Covenant Fine Arts Center at Calvin College, 1795 Knollcrest Circle SE in Grand Rapids, from 7 to 9 pm.No RSVP is necessary.More information can be found at hollandhome.org/events or by calling 616.235.5000.
After almost two years of fundraising, planning and obtaining the proper permits, renovations on The Bridge are underway!
The Bridge of Arbor Circle is a safe shelter program for youth who are facing homelessness or considering running away. Serving an average of 250 youth a year and operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, The Bridge is a facility that is constantly in use and constantly in need of maintenance.
Construction begun in August 2017 will provide much-needed upgrades to the facility, improve the functionality of the existing space, and make The Bridge an even more welcoming space for the youth served each year.
Existing bathroom facilities are getting reconstructed to go from two, single-user bathrooms to 3.5 single-user bathrooms. This will double current capacity and streamline bathroom/shower scheduling, especially on busy school days.
The dining room is getting upgraded flooring, lighting, ceiling and furniture to support the family-style approach to meals at The Bridge.
In the program space, furniture is being updated and technology is being built in to support youth in their educational pursuits. A new staff office is being constructed to promote safety and privacy for individual meetings with youth.
In the middle of a crisis, the Bridge provides shelter, counseling, case management, group support, youth activities and connections to other needed services. The Bridge assists youth with meeting their basic needs, setting goals, building new life skills, and establishing connections with peers and mentors who can support them.
Paul Haan, of the Health Homes Coalition of West Michigan, on the set of WKTV Journal: In Focus/ (WKTV)
WKTV Staff
news@wktv.org
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus, WKTV’s public affairs show, program host Ken Norris talks with Paul Haan of Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan, a group which works to identify and address environmental health hazards in homes with young children, including lead poisoning.
“We were founded 11 years ago this summer and really grew out of a community response to the number of kids who were exposed to lead poisoning here in Kent County,” Haan said. “Our mission at that point was to end lead poisoning in Kent County — we are well on our way, we have more work to do, but that is what we were after. … the Health Homes Coalition grew out of that effort.”
Also on the new program is a discussion with Ethan Anderson, a local financial advisor with a common sense approach to retirement planning. The discussion focuses on retirement planning for the today’s young working families, and it just begins with why company pensions are almost a thing of the past.
The episode will air twice this week on WKTV channels but all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
“WKTV Journal: In Focus” will air on Tuesdays and Thursdays, at 6:30 p.m., on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.
Today, there are over 5,000,000 people living with dementia. They are members of our churches, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, and our communities. They shop in the same stores we do, dine at the same restaurants, attend the same events, and utilize the same public transportation system. Despite living with dementia, they continue to be vital members of our communities and valued for their contributions. This is the ideal, anyway.
The reality is, for people living with dementia, their world tends to become slowly and consistently smaller, and a lot of this has to do with the difficulty they experience interacting with the world around them. We’ve all come into contact with a person who seems lost, is taking an extremely long time to make a decision, or is ‘holding up the line’ because they are confused about a process. We become exasperated; they become upset, and no one leaves the experience feeling good about ourselves.
While we can go about our day, collecting better experiences, a person with dementia will be reluctant to have that experience again, and will begin to avoid doing anything that may recreate it — shopping for groceries, riding a bus, ordering in a restaurant. They gradually become more isolated, less independent and separated from their communities. The isolation and separation people with dementia experience can actually contribute to the acceleration of their dementia. This isolation takes a great toll on care partners as well. Since they spend most of their time in the company of their loved one, they experience the same isolation and detachment from community.
Dementia Friendly Grand Rapids (DFGR) is part of a national movement working to create aware and supportive ‘Dementia Friends’ throughout all sectors of our community so that people living with dementia can comfortably navigate daily life. DFGR strives to move Grand Rapids toward becoming a more aware, accessible and inclusive city. A dementia-friendly city improves the community for everyone and is more livable through implementation of universal design. Dementia-friendly communities are more attractive, competitive and sustainable when they become more accessible and inclusive for everyone.
We’re learning more everyday about the various dementias, like Alzheimer’s, and the ways we can help people with dementia live fuller, more active and engaged lives, and extend independence and participation in their communities. For this to happen though, everyone needs to work together to create communities where any person, including a person with dementia, can live and thrive. This is dementia friendly.
DFGR’s main focus right now is creating awareness. This is done by teaching people about dementia and helping participants develop practical actions they can use to help someone they may encounter in the community who has dementia. Jennifer VanHorssen, DFGR Program Coordinator, says, “Whether it be the checkout at a grocery store, on the bus, serving coffee at a coffee shop, or at an art or music performance, each of us can be supportive and help people living with dementia feel welcome and included.” In the last year alone, volunteers with Dementia Friendly Grand Rapids have provided over 30 trainings enabling more than 400 people to become new Dementia Friends.
Creating a dementia-friendly city requires participation from all sectors of society — business, local government, transportation, financial institutions, neighborhood associations and faith communities, emergency responders, healthcare and the legal sector. DFGR’s focus for 2017-2018 is business. VanHorssen’s hope is to focus on sub-sectors “like restaurants, grocery stores, hair salons/barber shops, local retail, libraries and other public spaces” where business owners and/or employees are interacting with customers who may have dementia.
Often the slightest shift in our approach to working with a customer who seems indecisive, confused, or unsure of themselves can help them feel safe, supported and empowered. “In a dementia friendly community” VanHorssen cites, “people living with dementia have autonomy, a high quality of life, and are engaged with the community.”
Grand Rapids is experiencing an enormous amount of growth and development – we have the opportunity to do things differently so all Grand Rapids residents and visitors can have autonomy while navigating our city. It begins with awareness. If your business/organization would like to learn about becoming a dementia friend, contact Dementia Friendly Grand Rapids by calling (616) 222-7036 or email info@dementiafriendlygr.com. You can also learn more about DFGR and the dementia friendly movement on their website: www.dementiafriendlygr.com
By Terry McLean, Michigan State University Extension 
Michigan Onions:
Each year, the Cultivate Michigan team plans field tours featuring the featured seasonal foods for institutional food service staff and others to learn first-hand about the production, processing and distribution of the foods, as well as to network with other food buyers, growers and suppliers. Several tours are planned for the year ahead featuring Michigan onions, summer berries, celery and beets.
