For this feature, we interviewed Susan Kaderle, Executive Director of MI-Connect, who recently rejoined NCHN.  MI-Connect is a collaborative resource partnership to expand access to high quality healthcare services for the at-risk residents of Northern Michigan. It has 5 members and its programs include Physician and Mid-Level Recruitment and Retention, Mental/Dental Integration, Rural Health Outreach, and Community Health Worker focus. MI-Connect is one of the recipients of the recently announced Network Development grants, so we were excited to ask a few questions about their project.

Q: Congratulations on your receipt of the Rural Health Network Development grant. The abstract says that you will be expanding the Integrated Behavioral Health and School-Based Oral Health programs. Can you tell us a little about the specifics of the project (e.g., what you have in place currently and how the programs will be expanded)?

MI-Connect was a recipient of the 2011 Rural Health Network Development grant and our area of focus was integrated behavioral health services across our Network membership. Our service area included a five county area located in the northeastern part of lower Michigan. Since 2011 we have expanded our Network to include a larger geographical area that includes northwest Michigan and a total of 13 counties. With our new funding, we will be expanding behavioral health to the west side of the state as well as continue to expand integration on the east side. School based oral health integration is the second focus for us and will be integrating among all Network partners.

Q: This grant follows a Rural Health Outreach grant that focused on recruitment and retention. Did that grant provide you with a solid foundation of providers on which to base this new initiative?

The Rural Health Outreach grant funding for the recruitment and retention of primary care providers ended in 2012. The project became fully sustainable through financial support from additional partnerships throughout rural Michigan. This successful project provided the foundation to explore potential areas of collaboration which lead to a 2011 Network Development grant with an integrated behavioral health focus and also lead to another Rural Health Outreach grant in 2012 with a Community Health Worker focused program.

Q: What brought you back to NCHN and what do you look for from NCHN and other members to best support your work?

MI-Connect recently re-joined NCHN, we originally became involved in 2011, we needed to take time to focus on our programs and now feel that our Network is a very appropriate addition to NCHN, I look forward to participating in the many services that are offered.