Detroit Medical Center Convenes Forum with Community Stakeholders to Assess Detroit’s Healthcare Needs

DETROIT — Detroit Medical Center (DMC) recently convened a community focus group forum with nearly 20 leaders from area organizations which provide critical social services to Detroit residents and families. Over the course of the meeting, leaders shared their perspectives and strategies to address many of the challenges the local community face around social services for the poor and vulnerable.

Generated from this forum were valuable ideas about how, by working collaboratively with the DMC and each other, a combined effort could have positive impacts on Detroit residents. In general, the key challenges identified related to overall behavioral health, drug addiction, family violence, childhood trauma and access to vital health care services.

Prior to the discussion portion of the meeting, DMC Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Anthony Tedeschi introduced the DMC Cares’ vision, which focuses on four key areas – For Our Patients, For Our People, For Our Community and For Our Performance. DMC also discussed its broad range of community benefit programs that serve, promote and safeguard the welfare of those in need.

“At the DMC, we believe it is important to be aligned in our goals and the actions needed to achieve them,” said Dr. Tedeschi. “Each step we take forward must be based on enhancing the care we provide to Detroit residents, now and in the future.”

Additionally, other members of the DMC executive team presented information about several innovative community partnerships including Detroit Lives are Valuable Everyday (DLIVE), RiverWalkers, Stop the Bleed, 61 Day Challenge and the annual Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive.

DMC extends great appreciation to the community organizations who attended. The recent discussion will serve as the beginning of what DMC envisions as an ongoing conversation about opportunities for new or expanded partnerships that could directly address the needs of the poor, mentally ill and disenfranchised.

For a list of those who attended, please see below:

• A Caring Heart
• Be-Moor Radio
• Beasley Media Group
• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Black Family Development
• Boys Hope Girls Hope of Detroit
• Community Health Awareness
• Detroit NAACP
• Detroit Health Department
• Department of Health & Human Services, Wayne County Board
• EJK & Associates
• Life Inside
• Loyola High School
• Metro Strategies
• University District Community Association
• Wayne County Community College District
• The Yunion, Inc.