Message from our CEO, Loretta V. Bush... | |
IT IS WITH GREAT PRIVELEDGE to be recognized by your peers as a leader of your profession. My selection this year as a Hometown Hero by my peers in the public health space is a great honor. Indeed, leading public health over four decades across city, county, state, and even international systems has made this recognition special.
And while I am proud of the work I’ve done in the State of Michigan, nationally, and in Ethiopia, East Africa, with HIV/AIDS prevention and care, my hometown of Southeast Michigan is where much of my community health work has occurred and where I want to ultimately continue to make my mark.
The Hometown Hero recognition came as a result of the Authority Health team coming together to implement an intervention that would contribute to the much-needed health and resiliency for people of color in Detroit and Wayne County. Through the Healthy and Resilient Communities (HaRC), we have demonstrated that when you market healthy, affordable meals in non-traditional places, people will purchase them and their dietary habits will begin to change. We proved that we could employ people from the community and train them to share the message that there is a connection between food and preventing or managing chronic disease. Connecting Detroit communities to primary care, behavioral health care, and supportive services has been an additional benefit provided by the HaRC initiative.
This is all part of our commitment to Food as Medicine, the work we’ve done historically with the Fresh Prescription Program, and most recently with the Ruby Cole Community Kitchen and our involvement in the international Teaching Kitchen Collaborative.
I am proud to be a Hometown Hero, and I look forward to continuing my personal and professional commitment to my hometown through Authority Health, Authority Health Centers, and my other community service endeavors.
Join me and the Authority Health team as we Spring into health and well-being this season!
In good health,
Loretta V. Bush, MSHA
President and CEO, Authority Health
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| Above (l-r): Loretta Bush, CEO for Authority Health and Authority Health Centers; State Representative Tyrone Carter. | Above: Loretta Bush, CEO for Authority Health. | Above Hometown Hero recipients (l-r): Kersten Kimmerly is the founder of the Capital Area Perinatal Wellness Coalition (CAPW); Joseph Warne is the president of Neighbors United; Dr. D’Angela Pitts is a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Henry Ford Health; Joe Hammontree’s work as director of food access and support with the Shiawassee YMCA; Loretta Bush is the CEO of Authority Health and the visionary behind the Healthy and Resilient Communities Initiative; Stanley Stinson leads Street Outreach Teams; Ashley Ochoa is the creator of Fuel for Recovery; Cameron Bullock is the chief executive officer of Pivotal, formerly known as Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services of St. Joseph County; Melvenna Fant-Jones is the founder of The Phoenix Project. | |
'Live In The D' Features HaRC
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Have you heard about our
#HaRC1GrandChallenge?
| | 2026 Annual Detroit MOTION Summit | | Above: Leona Medley, Executive Director of the Joe Louis Greenway Partnership | | |
Another beautiful MOTION Summit…
Nearly 80 people, from high school students to community health professionals, academic researchers, and advocates for food security and equitable fitness opportunities, attended the annual MOTION Coalition Summit on May 15th at the Marygrove Conservancy in Detroit.
Keeping with its dual focus on active living and healthy eating, the two lead presenters were Leona Medley, executive director of the Joe Louis Greenway Partnership (JLGP), and Rachel Chadderdon Bair, director for Sustainable Food Systems, Kalamazoo Valley Community College. Medley offered a comprehensive perspective on “Infrastructure, Equity, and the Power of Place,” informing attendees on the important role that community-based fitness plays in health. Chadderdon Bair addressed the role of the food hub in organizing and promoting local food systems.
A huge thank you to all of our speakers, who also included Lindsay Pielack, Executive Director at Friends of Rouge Park, Katrina Keeby-Watkins, CEO of Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation, and Kimberly Faison, VP of Thriving Resilient Neighborhoods Detroit Future City.
Other discussions included MOTION Coalition member involvement in a Wayne State University research project creating a systemic analysis for an obesity action plan, as well as a panel discussion on creative uses of public space.
Additionally, Dennis Archambault, vice president of Public Affairs, was recognized for his contributions to the MOTION Coalition by the coalition’s steering committee. A major component of the coalition’s work is policy advocacy in the areas of healthy eating and active living. Archambault has provided support on policy formation and advocacy response.
The annual event was hosted by Authority Health, which provides staff support and other in kind services for the Detroit MOTION Coalition. Look for announcements of upcoming quarterly meetings in the near future.
| | Above (l-r): Lindsay Pielack, Executive Director at Friends of Rouge Park; Katrina Keeby-Watkins, Founder and CEO of Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation (BPNDC); Rachel Chadderdon Bair, Director for Sustainable Food Systems at Kalamazoo Valley Community College; Elizabeth K. Towner, PhD, Wayne State University School of Medicine Family Medicine & Public Health Sciences; Kimberly Faison, Vice President of Thriving Resilient Neighborhoods at Detroit Future City (DFC). | | |
Above (left): Susan J. Woolford, MD, Assistant Professor, Child Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR), Division of General Pediatrics, and Medical Director at C. S. Mott Children's Hospital and co-chair of the MOTION Coalition; Tyra Evans, COO at Authority Health.
Above (right): Todd Scott, Executive Director at Detroit Greenways Coalition; Dennis Archambault, VP Public Affairs at Authority Health.
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Above (left): Susan J. Woolford, MD, Assistant Professor, Child Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR), Division of General Pediatrics, and Medical Director at C. S. Mott Children's Hospital. Dr. Woolford also serves as co-chair of the MOTION Coalition.
Above (right): Elizabeth K. Towner, PhD, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Family Medicine & Public Health Sciences.
| | Above (l-r): Stephanie Stegall, CHW at Neighborhood Wellness Center - Authority Health Centers; Audria Mixon, Clinical Practice Manager at Authority Health Centers' Popoff and Hope locations; Tiffany Little, CHW/Medical Assistant at Authority Health (HaRC program). | | Above: Rachel Chadderdon Bair, Director for Sustainable Food Systems at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. | | Above (l-r): Lindsay Pielack, Executive Director at Friends of Rouge Park; Amy Kuras, Research & Policy Program Manager at Detroit Food Policy Council. | | Above (l-r): Angela Cole, Designated Institutional Officer (DIO) - GME at Authority Health; Simonne Brown, Executive Assistant – Graduate Medical Education at Authority Health; Dr. Prashanti Boinapally, Director of Programs & Quality at Authority Health. | | Above: Canesha Ellington, CHW at (HaRC) Authority Health | | |
Above (bottom left): Barbara Blum-Alexander, Founder, Bolstering Community Well-Being Authentically.
Above (bottom right): Leona Medley, Executive Director of the Joe Louis Greenway Partnership.
| Above (l-r): Todd Scott, Executive Director at Detroit Greenways Coalition; Lindsay Pielack, Executive Director at Friends of Rouge Park; Katrina Keeby-Watkins, Founder and CEO of Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation (BPNDC); Kimberly Faison, Vice President of Thriving Resilient Neighborhoods at Detroit Future City (DFC). | |
Above (l-r): Tyra Evans, COO at Authority Health; Corliss Beard, CFO at Authority Health; Dennis Archambault, VP Public Affairs at Authority Health; Dr. Prashanti Boinapally, Director of Programs & Quality at Authority Health.
| Above (l-r): Amy Kuras, Research & Policy Program Manager at Detroit Food Policy Council; Todd Scott, Executive Director at Detroit Greenways Coalition; Dennis Archambault, VP Public Affairs at Authority Health; Barbara Blum-Alexander, Founder, Bolstering Community Well-Being Authentically; Jena Baker-Calloway, Director at MSU Detroit Center & Partnerships Office; Susan J. Woolford, MD, Assistant Professor in the Child Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR), Division of General Pediatrics and Medical Director at C. S. Mott Children's Hospital and co-chair of the MOTION Coalition; Prashanti Boinapally, MD, Director of Programs & Quality at Authority Health. | For more information about the Detroit MOTION Coalition or to get involved, contact Dr. Prashanti Boinapally, Director of Programs & Quality and Motion Coalition Lead at Authority Health. PBoinapally@authorityhealth.org |
2026-27 Schweitzer Fellows | Above (l-r): Youna Lee – MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine; Mary Finedor – MSU College of Human Medicine; Charlotte Emily Ryan – UM School of Medicine & School of Public Health; Ladann Kiassat – MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine; Liz Henning – UM School of Public Health | |
And, just like that, we have a new cohort!
Every year, we have the privilege of welcoming a new cohort of Albert Schweitzer Fellows.
AuthorityHealth is proud to be the only fellowship chapter in Michigan. We keep the program alive and thriving in our region and hold space for the passion that each group has every year for humanitarianism.
We find tremendous value in supporting their efforts to find real solutions that will help uplift populations made vulnerable because of unjust or inadequate systems in place.
We'd like to send a very special thank you to Lisa Johanon, executive director of the CENTRAL DETROIT CHRISTIAN CDC, for serving as this year's keynote speaker.
The fellows’ work centers underserved populations of all kinds, from urban communities here in Detroit on more rural areas that lack access to quality education especially around health literacy which impacts their health, wellness, and life expectancy; one project focuses on veterans who may feel isolated or alone and could use a bridge to community for mental health and wellness; other projects explore ways to advocate for people with disabilities (particularly those with cognitive conditions) and the families that care for them.
The cohort is made up of health and human service graduate students; these young people come with a great deal of energy and hope; they’re humble and eager to both serve and learn from the communities that their projects are focused on. They come with intention and an earnest dedication to community service and a passion for the work.
Introducing the 2026 Detroit Chapter Schweitzer Fellows!
- Ladann Kiassat – MSU Osteopathic Medicine
- Charlotte Emily Ryan – U of M School of Medicine
- Mary Finedor – MSU College of Human Medicine
- Liz Henning – U of M School of Public Health
- Youna Lee – MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine
| Above: Lisa Johanon, executive director of the Central Detroit Christian CDC | Above: Alice Thompson, Board Chair for Authority Health Centers; Chair for Detroit Chapter Albert Schweitzer Fellowship | Above (l-r): Lisa Johanon, executive director of the Central Detroit Christian CDC; Loretta Bush, CEO for Authority Health | Patricia Johnson, HR Director for Authority Health | |
Charlotte Emily Ryan – UM School of Medicine & School of Public Health, Washtenaw County
Address social-emotional development, childhood obesity, and behavioral health outcomes among school children from low-income families and under-resourced school districts through after-school programs integrating physical activity, nutrition education, and social-emotional to improve behavioral health.
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Youna Lee – MSUCOM, Detroit
Promote health literacy among uninsured people in the HUDA clinic of Detroit and the Malta Dental and Medical Clinic. Develop a model for teaching health literacy in the free clinics identified. Focus on primary disease categories that are of concern by the patients. Conduct sessions in person but zoom as a scheduling alternative.
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Ladann Kiassat – MSUCOM, Macomb County
Improve health literacy related to nutrition, hygiene, and daily wellness with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who incur higher rates of obesity, diabetes, preventable infections, and other unmet health needs due to limited access to health education, communication barriers, and fewer opportunities for preventive care and health-promoting skill development.
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Mary Finedor – MSU College of Human Medicine, Genesee County
Create a health and wellness program for homeless youth in Flint served by Traverse Place that highlights nutrition, all aspects of health, essential health system literacy, and other life skills development. A secondary objective is to help youth develop a sense of autonomy through developing these skills.
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Liz Henning – U-M School of Public Health, Washtenaw County
Address loneliness, disconnection, and mental wellness among veterans in Washtenaw County. Develop structured, low barrier-high yield events to cultivate steady human interaction on a monthly basis in connection with the Reserve Officers Training Corps.
| | Above (head of table): Dennis Archambault, VP Public Affairs for Authority Health | | Above (l-r): Youna Lee, MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine; Ladann Kiassat, MSU Osteopathic Medicine; AeYanna Yett, Ph.D. student in WSU's School of Social Work; Patricia Johnson, HR Director at Authority Health; Dennis Archambault, VP at Authority Health. | | Above (l-r): Loretta Bush, CEO for Authority Health; AeYanna Yett, Ph.D. student in WSU's School of Social Work. | | Above (l-r): Liz Henning – U-M School of Public Health; Charlotte Emily Ryan – UM School of Medicine & School of Public Health | | Above (l-r): Dennis Archambault, VP Public Affairs for Authority Health; Loretta Bush, CEO for Authority Health | Above (l-r): Lisa Johanon talking with Schweitzer fellows Ladann Kiassat, Youna Lee, and Mary Finedor. | | Above: Loretta Bush, CEO for Authority Health | | The Health Care Affordability Crisis is Hitting Consumers at All Income Levels | | |
It has taken a while for the reality to fully set in, but Americans across all levels of society are facing mounting cost pressures—from food and utilities to health care -- and those pressures are influencing decisions that directly affect their health. Often, this means avoiding preventive screenings and routine health maintenance, stretching out prescription medications, or even skipping meals. In some cases, it means postponing necessary medical or dental procedures altogether.
According to a recent report published by the West Health–Gallup Center on Healthcare in America, Americans are cutting back on a wide range of expenses—including utilities, food, and prescription drugs—in order to pay for health insurance and health care services. What is striking is that this challenge is not limited to those at the lower end of the income spectrum. The poll found that roughly one quarter of adults earning between $90,000 and $120,000 annually -- about 9 million people -- report having to make tradeoffs that significantly affect their lifestyle.
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Proposed City budget
Provides Funding to Expand
Vaping Awareness & Prevention Program
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Vaping, now the most commonly used tobacco product by young people, believing it’s safer than cigarette smoking, may actually be more dangerous in its impact on brain development, mood, and impulse control, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
However, the good news is that most middle and high school students who vape want to quit.
Authority Health Centers has gotten out in front of the problem at its school-based health center in Hope Academy in Detroit, where the principal expressed alarm in the rise of vaping behavior among the school’s students. Jeaninne Williams, the health center’s nurse practitioner, provided the “You and Me Together: Vape-Free” program for Hope students recently. The evidence-based program was developed by Standford University.
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Authority Health Centers' Ira Land location
Every Kid Health Week
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Nutrition education, but make it fun!
Here are some clips of the clinical team, Christina Kirkwood, FNP, and Clinical Practice Manager, Brandi Lagodzinski (both pictured above), at Authority Health Centers' Ira Land location, celebrating Every Kid Healthy Week at Stevenson Elementary School. It's always so much fun to watch the adorable scholars ☺️ at Stevenson Elementary interact with each other and get excited about the activities and giveaways the clinical team has for them. Their goal is always to keep school health, nutrition, and wellness top of mind for the families that they serve! We want to send a huge thank you to the amazing team of teachers and school administrators, led by Principal Hickman, for their warmth and continued support of the clinical team's efforts to support school health!
We proudly provide comprehensive child and community health services at the Authority Health Centers' Ira Land location, 27777 Lahser Rd., Southfield, MI 48034. For more information or to make an appointment, call 313-824-1000 ext. 4.
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Authority Health Centers' Hope location
Every Kid Health Week
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Sometimes it’s the simple things that put smiles on kids’ faces…☺️ on "Tasty Tuesday" 😋during Every Kid Healthy Week, there were plenty (smiles) to go around. We had a ton of fun watching them grab their healthy snack and jet back into line with the burst of energy that only a child has, especially for something as “simple” as fruit salad provided by @harc_eats. 'Whole Child Health' at Authority Health Centers’ Hope Location in Detroit's Nardin Park neighborhood.
Thank you to the excellent group of teachers and administrators led by Principal Calloway for their continued support and enthusiasm for our efforts to help increase student and community health!
For more information about the health services we offer at Authority Health Centers' Hope location, 12121 Broadstreet Ave., Detroit, MI 48204. For more information or to make an appointment, call (313) 824-1000 ext 2.
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Join Us! Events at the
Ruby Cole Community Kitchen
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Coffee & Conversation
at the Ruby Cole Community Kitchen
inside Authority Health Centers' Popoff location
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East Side Community in Action: Coffee & Conversation at the Ruby Cole Community Kitchen
The East Side of Detroit is buzzing — and community members aren't just talking, they're activating. At this powerful gathering hosted by Authority Health Centers' Clinical Practice Manager at Popoff, Audria Mixon, and Authority Health (HaRC) CCHW, Rashidah Cottington (both pictured below) at the Ruby Cole Community Kitchen, residents came together to tackle the big issues shaping their neighborhood's future. Here's a peek into the conversation with special guest, Detroit City Council Member Latisha Johnson for District 4...
| Audria Mixon, Clinical Practice Manager at Authority Health Centers Popoff and Hope locations; Rashidah Cottingham, (HaRC) CCHW at Authority Health. | | |
Authority Health is a public body corporate serving the needs of the health care safety net. It sponsors the nation’s second-largest graduate medical education GME teaching health center and community-based wellness centers.
In addition, Authority Health facilitates access to health care services for uninsured and underinsured residents by providing Medicaid outreach and eligibility determination and navigation services.
Authority Health | 313.871.3751 | media@authorityhealth.org | www.authorityhealth.org
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