Our health policy team continued to support the state in crafting and implementing effective, evidence-informed policies. Their work on long-term services and supports (LTSS) exemplifies how technical expertise can shape programs that impact older adults and people with disabilities. In today’s political environment, we are especially proud of the team’s work in providing nonpartisan educational support to help legislators and staff better understand key public programs. The CHRT Health Policy Fellowship remains a flagship initiative—bringing together legislative staff from both parties, academics, and organizational leaders to learn, build relationships, and find common ground on pressing health issues.
Our health strategies and innovation team expanded and refined their efforts to build systems that improve community health and well-being. At the state level, they worked closely with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to help align ongoing state efforts to promote reinvestment in communities, strengthen data exchange systems and infrastructure, and expand access to critical social services for Medicaid recipients. Regionally, they provided technical assistance and facilitated peer learning opportunities in partnership with Regional Health Collaboratives across the state of Michigan. Locally, through the Washtenaw Health Initiative and Mi Community Care, they worked to advance the integration of health and social services to coordination. Their work translates strategy into action, building lasting infrastructure for better care.
Our research and evaluation team provided robust, equity-centered evaluation to support learning and improvement across sectors. A key highlight is our ongoing partnership with the MDHHS to evaluate the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) demonstration, a major effort to transform behavioral health care delivery. They also partnered with the Children of the Rising Sun - a child development nonprofit in Detroit devoted to meeting the social, emotional, and physical, development of children to promote self-love, confidence, and independence - on the evaluation of their Mom Circles program to support the refinement of the project and plan for long-term sustainability. Our research and evaluation team also partnered with Direct Relief - a humanitarian aid organization with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies - to evaluate the impacts of grantees working in free and charitable clinics across the U.S. The work of this team directly aids program leaders in understanding their impacts and improving services for the communities they serve.
As we look ahead to 2025, we remain focused on building bridges between research, policy, and practice. We are grateful for the continued trust of our partners and proud of our team’s dedication to creating a healthier Michigan by inspiring and enabling evidence-informed policies and practices that improve the health of people and communities .
Sincerely,
Joshua A. Traylor
Executive Director
Center for Health and Research Transformation
Dr. Amy Milewski
Board Chair, CHRT
Associate Chief Medical Officer
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
