Health Equity Challenge Winners

Two University of Michigan graduate student proposals were each awarded $50,000 to address health inequity through the Michigan Health Equity Challenge.

Over the course of eight weeks, the finalists of the Challenge partnered with a community-based organization (CBO) to develop a proposal combating a pressing health equity concern in Southeast Michigan. The Challenge was funded by a $100,000 grant from The MolinaCares Accord (“MolinaCares”) and Molina Healthcare of Michigan, which provided these selected students with resources and mentorship support in the development of innovative solutions.

The following proposals were selected as winners:

Mehak Bhansali, University of Michigan School of Public Health

Empowerment in Your Pocket: Unveiling the Ultimate IPV Resource Toolkit App with the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence

Mehak Bhansali’s project aims to develop a mobile app that serves as a comprehensive intimate partner violence (IPV) resource toolkit, categorizing resources into five IPV-centric pillars: law; finance; food, clothing, and shelter; children; and mental health. The app will be a critical tool in advancing health equity in the IPV landscape across Michigan by providing inclusive services for all populations and ensuring survivors can easily access the necessary support in a timely manner. Ensuring all IPV survivors have easy access to resources will mitigate feelings of stress, anxiety, and overwhelm. Ultimately, this can result in improved mental health and the prevention of stress-induced diseases, including metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and autoimmune dysfunction. Mehak has partnered with the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence to implement this project.

Melissa K. Zochowski, University of Michigan Medical School

Holistic Opportunities for Patient Equity (HOPE) Clinical Intervention: Understanding and Meeting the Needs of Neurodivergent Individuals Seeking Reproductive Healthcare at Planned Parenthood of Michigan

Melissa Zochoswki’s project proposes a two-phase implementation of neurodiversity-affirming reproductive healthcare delivery practices to improve outcomes for neurodivergent individuals and increase provider knowledge of their unique clinical encounter needs. Neurodivergent individuals may have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), sensory challenges and difficulties, or other developmental and/or intellectual disabilities. Phase 1, "Identify and Understand," aims to identify neurodivergent patients and collect patient-reported data on their unique healthcare needs, ensuring every encounter is tailored for success. Phase 2, "Inform and Implement," focuses on leveraging insights from Phase 1 to educate and train healthcare providers on neurodiversity, directly integrate patient feedback into care practices, and engage in comprehensive analysis and interventions to improve clinical care delivery long-term. Melissa has partnered with Planned Parenthood of Michigan to implement this project.

The community-based organizations will receive $50,000 to implement the proposals.

Health Equity Challenge Finalists

Fourteen University of Michigan graduate students were named finalists in the Health Equity Challenge in January 2024, with awards presented on April 12, 2024. The remaining 12 finalists and their proposals were:

Wolfgang Bahr & Irving Suarez: Uniendo Corazones: Promoting Heart Health Equity in Latinx Immigrant Communities in Oakland County

Natalie DeLiso & Brooke Troxmondo: Holistically Healthy Housing in Oakland County, MI

Eunji Ko: Bridging Gaps for Pediatric Oral Health: A Community-Based Initiative

Xinyu Liang: Minds Connect: Bridging Education and Mental Health through Audio-Telehealth

Olivia Morris: More Equitable Access to Health Coverage for Older African-Americans in Washtenaw County

Damilola Olukorede: CanSearcher: Improving Access to Cancer Clinical Trials Among Underserved Populations

Alex Soos & Sarah Small: Washtenaw Outreach Network: Bridging Mutual Aid, Street Medicine, and Healthcare Access

Sarah Shimizu & L Tantay: The Unison: Improving Mental Health Access for LGBTQIA+ Detroiters of Color

To learn more about the 10 projects, read our students’ blogs.