Current Projects
In addition to CHRT’s cornerstone programs–the health policy fellowship, the Washtenaw Health Initiative, and the physician and consumer surveys–CHRT regularly manages mission-relevant research, demonstration, and educational projects with funding from public sector partners, as well as paid consulting projects for public and private sector clients.
Featured Projects
Evaluating Collaborative Care Use through Claims Data Analysis
Client(s): PRISM at the University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry
Need: Primary care is the most common setting for mental health treatment in the U.S., yet many clinics face significant barriers to implementing effective care models. Collaborative Care Management (CoCM) is a proven, evidence-based approach for…
CHRT's Role: As a research partner, CHRT is responsible for leading the data analysis component of the project. This includes submitting data requests, cleaning and managing datasets, and analyzing Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan claims data to examine CoCM utilization patterns. CHRT will assess clinic-level and community-level factors…
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Strategic planning for long-term care and MI Health Link’s transition to an integrated D-SNP
Client(s): Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Need: In 2019, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) engaged CHRT in preliminary preparation for strategic planning activities around long-term services and supports (LTSS). MDHHS asked CHRT to facilitate a comprehensive process…
CHRT's Role: For this project, CHRT will conduct and analyze interviews with 16 advocacy groups, service providers, and other stakeholders to inform MDHHS’s LTSS strategic plan. CHRT will organize a meeting with MDHHS’ Behavioral and Physical Health and Aging Services Administration (BPHASA) leadership and LTSS program leads to…
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Coordinating medical care and social services for residents with complex needs and reducing health disparities
Client(s): Michigan Medicine Collaborative Quality Improvement (CQI) Initiative
Need: The Health Equity Project aims to help reduce health disparities for those with pressing social needs such as housing instability, food insecurity, transportation, health system complexity, and other socioeconomic factors by: (1) supporting…
CHRT's Role: The Center for Health and Research Transformation (CHRT) provides backbone support to the local work in Washtenaw and Livingston counties and leads a multi-region learning community to identify ways to share best practices and accelerate progress, and to advance connections with statewide quality initiatives.
CHRT will…
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Promoting health equity by identifying and addressing the social needs of patients in five Michigan counties
Client(s): Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Need: The Promotion of Health Equity Initiative aims to develop a statewide infrastructure for SDOH data collection, analytics, and reporting to better identify and understand disparities and leverage data and community partnerships to help enhance…
CHRT's Role: CHRT provides backbone support to the four participating regions in the Promotion of Health Equity project, mobilizing and coordinating efforts and helping establish shared communications and reporting. CHRT has financial fiduciary responsibilities to Michigan Medicine for the funding of the participating regions. CHRT…
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Evaluation of Michigan’s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics
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Need: The 2014 Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) authorized a new demonstration program intended to improve community mental health services. In 2020, following a request from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan was…
CHRT's Role: The Center for Health and Research Transformation (CHRT) at the University of Michigan will partner with MDHHS on this project to provide health research, analyses, surveys, demonstration projects, backbone support, and consulting. CHRT has existing experience evaluating Medicaid programs in the state, as well as advanced…
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Social determinants of health strategic plan
Client(s): Berrien County Health Department (BCHD)
Need: Many residents in Berrien County face significant barriers to health and well-being due to health-related social needs such as lack of transportation and inadequate housing. These challenges contribute to health disparities and hinder access…
CHRT's Role: CHRT, in partnership with Laurel Health Advisors, is conducting qualitative research and stakeholder engagement to inform the county’s Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) and guide the development of sustainable strategies. For this project, CHRT will 1) conduct stakeholder interviews to understand community perspectives…
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Understanding health disparities through improving EMS data
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Need: Emergent Health Partners and CHRT are working to implement EMS clinician training modules across all six EHP EMS agencies in Michigan. These modules will train clinicians to accurately collect sensitive demographic data pertaining to race, ethnicity,…
CHRT's Role: CHRT will be responsible for convening the community advisory board, implementing clinician training, and analyzing EMS data post-implementation.
Convening the community advisory board
CHRT will recruit CAB members through EHP's existing community partners, the Washtenaw Health Initiative…
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Health policy fellowship for Michigan-based researchers, nonprofit leaders, and policymakers
Client(s): Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Michigan Health Endowment Fund, Michigan Health and Hospital Association, Michigan Medicine, Wayne State University
Need: The CHRT Health Policy Fellowship at the University of Michigan brings together policymakers, researchers, and nonprofit fellows to learn about health policy and the research process — and the intersection between the two — from subject-matter…
CHRT's Role: Over the four-month fellowship period, interactive sessions take place in Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Lansing, as well as a three-day trip to Washington, DC (circumstances allowing). Orientation briefings focus on the legislative process, Michigan state government structure, the research process, and challenges in building…
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Washtenaw County Public Safety and Mental Health Preservation Millage implementation
Client(s): Washtenaw County Community Mental Health, Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office
Need: Community partners in public safety seek to reduce the number of low-risk, low-level offenders with moderate to severe mental illness or substance use in jail and to redirect them to a supported and well-resourced path to community-based recovery.…
CHRT's Role: CHRT is working with Washtenaw County Community Mental Health to implement the recommendations of the Washtenaw County Community Mental Health Advisory Council. These recommendations for mental health millage investments include expanding crisis services, increasing prevention work, enhancing youth services, addressing…
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Applying complex systems modeling to understand and strengthen Washtenaw County’s local acute mental health crisis care system
Client(s): University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry
Need: Communities across the state and nation are struggling to respond to mental health crises quickly and with positive outcomes for those in crisis. A shortage of mental health providers, staffed inpatient beds, and other systems problems create…
CHRT's Role: The CHRT team will 1) assist in identifying the sources of local data–from community mental health, law enforcement, education, and other organizations–to help UNC researchers build the Washtenaw-specific model, and 2) serve as project manager for the research.
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