Guest Columns

GUEST COLUMN Vanessa Greene Eliminating health care disparities requires systemic change

African Americans and other diverse populations in West Michigan, and across the U.S., have been fi ghting for their rights and equality and have seen progress.

A real discussion of history and its long-lasting negative impact on certain diverse groups is happening, with more attention being paid to how we can address those issues. Legislators also addressed past discrimination by recognizing racism as a national health crisis.

While this is an opportunity to celebrate, we still have a long way to go, and there remains a need to address inequities that are directly a ecting the health and well-being of our communities.

At the Grand Rapids African American Health Institute (GRAAHI), one of the biggest obstacles we address every day is the ongoing battle with disparities in the quality of health care for African Americans and other diverse groups in Michigan.

The arrival of COVID-19 further amplifi ed our understanding of the racial inequities embedded in Michigan’s health care system — with African Americans hit harder by the disease due in part to a higher level of underlying health conditions — and how much quality of care can di er based solely on a patient’s race. Yet, research conducted on behalf of Consumers for Quality Care (CQC) shows that this is not just a problem in Michigan. A majority (56%) of Americans agree that COVID-19 has exposed racial disparities in our system.

Here are some sobering stats: • In 2017, 10.6% of African Americans were uninsured, compared with 5.9% of non-Hispanic whites. 16.1% of Hispanics were uninsured. • 12.1% of African Americans under the age of 65 reported having no health insurance coverage. The number was 20.1% for Hispanics. • 13.8% of African Americans reported having fair or poor health, compared with 8.3% of non-Hispanic whites. • African Americans have the highest mortality rate for cancer, compared with any other racial and ethnic group. • In Kent County, African American infants are 2.5-times more likely to die before the age of 1 than white infants, and 2.2-times more likely to be born with low birth weights.

Our goal must be to remove these racial disparities in health care, but it will be a long battle and require systemic changes beyond health care. At GRAAHI, we are on the front lines battling these disparities.

The disconnect between minorities and health care is refl ected in the breakdown of health care workers. Less than 20% of registered nurses identify as minorities, despite minorities comprising 40% of the U.S. population. In 2018, 13% of the U.S. population was Black, but only 5.4% of physicians were African American.

One way to address health care disparities is to encourage more minorities to work in the health care fi eld. Lack of diverse representation is one reason many people of color are hesitant to seek the proper care, preventive or otherwise, so the role of African American health care providers is critical in building trust and improving health outcomes in communities of color.

To support increasing health care provider diversity, GRAAHI

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MI VIEW WEST Garth Kriewall Michigan journalist, kriewall@hotmail.com

The corn maze starts in Saugatuck. Heck if I know where it ends.

GUEST COLUMN Dave Yonkman Attracting talent begins with public relations

Ever met a successful professional who became depressed and complained about their dead-end situation a few months after taking a new job?

Or, after settling in, are they boasting about their work culture, opportunities for promotion and bosses who help them become the best versions of themselves?

How employees talk about where they work greatly determines whether their company will survive the ongoing labor shortage. Their language determines whether anyone with whom they speak would consider working there or whether they would refer anyone they know to work there.

The ability to infl uence how your employees talk about you represents the core function of public relations. It doesn’t begin with words. It starts with action. Your message to new talent begins with how you treat your current team.

Their words infl uence the actions of others. What they have to say speaks much more to potential employees than advertising $18-per-hour jobs with starting bonuses.

They won’t sing the praises of businesses that deliberately suppress wages and benefi ts. Likewise, a lack of opportunities for professional development and career advancement will repel the best recruits. Nobody jumps at the opportunity to join an organization with toxic middle managers who hold the most talented people back.

Employees of such businesses are more than likely to discuss their poor treatment with their colleagues, friends and online networks. It represents a potential problem because 69% of recruits will not accept a position with a company that has a bad reputation. A full 84% will consider leaving their current jobs to work for an enterprise with more credibility.

The bad news is nearly all professionals engage in at least one social media site. Half of them post regularly about their company.

It’s also some of the best news ever.

A workforce so active on online networking sites o ers incredible options to build your company’s reputation and credibility.

Encourage your employees to talk and post about your business. Engage them in sharing open positions, photos from company events and your latest news. They want to be proud of the company for which they work. It’s where they spend one-third of their lives. Colleagues, friends and potential hires also want to see authentic information about your business, not marketing collateral.

Organizations with employees who promote them are 58% more likely to attract, and 20% more likely to retain, top performers.

Talent has more options than ever right now with Michigan’s unemployment rate at 4.8% and a 5.4% national rate. The additional federal unemployment benefi ts didn’t help in closing a growing labor gap, but their recent expiration will help encourage more participation in the workforce. However, if the people you’re trying to get to work for you smell a poor work culture, they won’t come in at any price.

How do you get your team to speak highly of you?

Respect every member of your team as critical to your mission. If they’re not mission critical, they probably shouldn’t be with your company in the fi rst place. Pay them competitive wages in good times and bad. Give them the latitude to attend to personal matters

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during the day without requiring a reason. Provide opportunities to grow and succeed. Get to know them. Be honest with them.

Take a few lessons from “The Great Game of Business,” “Traction” or “Good to Great.” Gamify your work by hosting competitions that support your company’s bottom line. Publicly recognize individuals in your organization when they exceed expectations.

Many West Michigan fi rms adopted such an approach long before the market required them to. They consistently o er some of the best career opportunities in the country. It’s never been a better time to recruit and retain the right talent to succeed over the long term.

Treat your current workforce professionally, authentically and gracefully. They will return the favor in spades in their personal and online social interactions. It’s public relations at its fi nest when it operates as a virtuous circle that invariably attracts professionals who brag that they get to work for you.

Dave Yonkman is president of the digital public relations fi rm DYS Media, a former Capitol Hill communications director and former Washington correspondent for Newsmax Media.

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GUEST COLUMN Joe Novakoski A chaplain for a construction company?

For 13 consecutive years, EV Construction has been a Best & Brightest Award recipient. Though we take great honor in the receipt of these awards, the true sense of satisfaction we feel comes from knowing that we are doing our best to provide a great workplace for our employees.

We currently have 150 employees, many of whom have families in need of care. Every employee has needs, goals, fears, personal challenges and life demands. Our employees are more than names on a spreadsheet; they are part of a family, a community, they coach little league or teach Sunday school. They are valued.

Like most companies, we provide health insurance, which enables care for a person’s body. We have paid time off for sick days and vacation time to provide rest and recovery when it is needed and/or wanted. Paychecks obviously provide financial means. Looking at our benefits package, we felt good about what we had to offer, but we saw a gap in coverage. We felt we could do better supporting the emotional needs of our team members.

Corporately, we believe it is our responsibility to take care of our employees as best we can. Life often times takes unexpected, and in extreme cases, unfortunate turns. Our people experience the pain of terminal illness, loss in their families, struggles with mental dysfunction and emotional distress, endure broken relationships and so on. As an employer we know our managers and supervisors are ill-equipped to address struggles and emotional concerns of this magnitude. Additionally, while speaking to a counselor or going through therapy is helpful, many struggle with where to go and how to ask for help.

Our leadership saw a need and found a resolution — a corporate chaplain. Josh Zoerhof is not only a pastor at Ridge Point Community Church, he also is a licensed therapist. He had previously been a guest speaker at the monthly, companywide safety meetings as well as a presenter to many of our leaders on the topic of mental health in the workplace. The impact of these guest appearances led to making him a formal team member and valued resource for the EV family.

Now Zoerhof hosts a regular segment at the monthly safety meeting. He shares insights into things such as common triggers that affect a person’s mental and emotional health and ways to deal with those triggers. By instituting his consistent voice and presence, we’ve seen our team members build rapport, respect and trust in his skill and knowledge. We believe that by continually establishing trust and rapport, we provide the confidence in our team members to reach out if/when the need for a professional voice arises.

In addition to attending our safety meetings, Zoerhof is available to any employee desiring to meet with him at no cost to the employee. His contact information was distributed to each employee to use as they need it. When he bills his time to EV, no names or identifying factors about those using his services are ever given. Employees can have complete confidence in the fact that their time with him is completely confidential.

We’ve already seen success in the short season since we’ve instituted this “corporate chaplaincy” and we’ve asked Zoerhof to share a bit from his perspective.

“Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of professionals whose work was impacted by negative and/or pervasively difficult life situations. Some of these situations came as a result of stress in the job, but many of them came from situations outside of the workday or jobsite. For years, companies and employers have operated on the belief that stress, anxiety, depression and a host of other life issues can be compartmentalized and work can stay at work and home can stay at home,” he said. “While it’s true that the human mind and spirit are capable of navigating work-life environments and stressors, true compartmentalization is a myth. As human beings we carry our pain, sadness, stress, fears, worries of life with us into workplaces and into our homes and families. Simply put, if we have a bad day at home — it’s going to show up at work in some way (loss in productivity, friction in interpersonal relationships, etc.). Conversely, when we have greater peace and overall positive mental health, it’s going to show up at work in some way (higher productivity, lower attrition rates, more positive morale and staff interactions). Wanting the best for employees (emotionally and psychologically) often yields getting the best from employees.”

Zoerhof pointed to the coronavirus pandemic as a stress ignitor for so many people.

“This last year has been profoundly difficult on the emotional health of humanity. Every business, organization, household and family has been impacted. COVID-19 amplified virtually every aspect of emotional health issues present in our society. If you have employees and staff struggling with depression and anxiety or difficult life stresses (grief, loss, etc.), odds are you are seeing it in the workplace,” he said. “Common examples are: loss in morale, loss in productivity, difficulty managing tasks that were previously manageable, increased aggression and hostility, drinking to excess or using other substances for escape and a general apathy toward company goals or initiatives. Helping employees, staff and colleagues find safe and professional voices and people to interact with can make a significant impact on the whole person and organization. It’s good business sense — yes — but it’s also good human sense and can change the game for so many.”

Bottom line is, as employers we care about the whole person who works for us and not just when they are at work. We recognize the obvious needs — health care, paychecks, PTO, etc. But there is more that can be done. Based on voluntary feedback I’ve already received, the time and investment in bringing a corporate chaplain on board is moving the needle of the mental health of the EV family in the right direction.

Joe Novakoski is vice president of operations at EV Construction.

GUEST COLUMN David Van Andel 25 years on, VAI is transforming human health

Van Andel Institute’s story began with a vision: create a world-class biomedical research and education institute in Grand Rapids for the betterment of human health for generations to come.

To many, this seemed like a tall order — too tall, they said. But my father, Jay Van Andel, having decided to create the Institute, also was clear that Grand Rapids was the place.

Why not Grand Rapids? He asked this question despite the skeptics who urged him to build the Institute in a much larger city, or closer to a top-tier university with an established research enterprise. Still, my family was set on supporting the region that had long supported us.

So, in 1996, the decision was made by the family to officially found the Van Andel Institute. This year, we celebrate 25 years of innovation, breakthroughs and growth.

From the beginning, we said we would never be the biggest, but we were determined to be the best. We also knew it would take years, even decades, of hard work and dedication. But once we began, it didn’t take long for the fruits of our labor to bloom.

Over the years, we’ve made vital breakthroughs in diseases like cancer and Parkinson’s, and in the areas of cell biology, structural biology, and metabolism and nutrition. We’ve found evidence of the origins of Parkinson’s disease in places you wouldn’t suspect, such as the nose and the appendix. VAI scientists are developing a combination blood test that could detect pancreatic cancer earlier, and the test is currently undergoing clinical validation to test its efficacy in real-world settings. We are a national powerhouse of epigenetics research, investigating the very code that makes us who we are.

Through it all, we are committed to translating discovery into the clinic, where it can help people live longer, healthier lives. We support an array of clinical trials designed to find effective new treatments and therapies, most notably through our collaborations with Cure Parkinson’s in the United Kingdom and the work of the Van Andel Institute-Stand Up To Cancer Epigenetics Dream Team.

VAI also remains dedicated to developing the next generation of scientists who will build on the foundations our world-class faculty have laid. Our expert educators at Van Andel Institute for Education offer cutting-edge science educational programming for K-12 educators and students, and Van Andel Institute Graduate School trains the scientific leaders of tomorrow through a rigorous Ph.D. program in molecular and cellular biology.

As we look back on and celebrate our history, we also have our sights set on the next 25 years. VAI recently welcomed six new faculty members under a recruitment push to expand our research capacity in our areas of strength.

In August, Van Andel Institute Graduate School welcomed its largest and most diverse student cohort yet: 14 students from eight countries. Van Andel Institute for Education has deftly responded to upheavals in the educational landscape by tailoring its programs to be available online, in-person or a hybrid of the two — positioning us well as a valuable asset for educators everywhere.

As an independent, not-forprofit organization, we could not do this work without this community. I wish that I could mention here every name, every school and organization, and every family that has contributed to our success over the years. There are so many who invested their time, energy and resources into our work. We are so grateful for all who support our mission through their generosity.

This support has helped our Institute come so far. From those early days, with a staff in the dozens and temporary research space at Butterworth Hospital, we’ve grown into an organization whose work is recognized around the globe, boasting almost 500 scientists, educators and staff.

The Medical Mile continues to spring up around VAI. My parents would be proud that their decision to build the Institute in Grand Rapids spurred such strong investment and growth in health and biomedical sciences. Their vision set the pace and tone for a bright future where VAI can continue to help lead the charge into a healthier future for all of humankind. As we mark our 25th anniversary, we are as energized as ever to carry the torch into the next quarter-century and beyond.

GUEST COLUMN

Stacy Paul Aerospace women need to be role models

Eliminating health care disparities

Women leading the next generation of women: this is what is developing in the aerospace industry in Michigan.

With a skilled workforce, a host of manufacturing capabilities, several globally competitive universities, and a government that supports business, Michigan is poised with incredible opportunities for those interested in aerospace. This is especially true for women in or interested in being part of the industry.

As a member of the Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan (AIAM), we keenly believe in the power of supporting and encouraging young women to dream big. In a recent virtual conference, the AIAM and the robotics organization FIRST in Michigan came together to inspire K-12 students to pursue STEM fields and provide information on what the aerospace industry looks like for female engineers. The conference had an esteemed panel of female engineers as well as two keynote speakers, Huy Tran, director of aeronautics at NASA Ames

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is collaborating with colleges and universities across West Michigan, with support from Kellogg, to help create a pipeline of students of all ethnic backgrounds from high school to careers in health care.

Increasing awareness of the social determinants and key issues affecting health for diverse populations also is essential. Advocacy, education and research will be crucial to effectively improving health outcomes.

Our end goal is to create a culture where we have moved beyond the need to address inequities and can guarantee that everyone can access a healthy lifestyle, preventive care and understand how to navigate the health care system.

We can create real, impactful and meaningful health care change for diverse populations by eliminating disparities and ensuring that all West Michigan residents will receive affordable quality care without race being a determinant.

Push for regulation of mining draws opposition

Locals worry loss of control for sand, gravel extraction will lead to other problems.

Joseph Dungerow

Capital News Service

LANSING — Proposed state regulation of sand and gravel mining wrests control from local authorities and could lead to a similar loss of authority elsewhere, according to local and environmental officials.

Every chip away at local control sets a precedent for any other group or industry to come in and demand the same for them, said Jennifer Rigterink, a legislative associate at the Michigan Municipal League, which opposes the legislation. Local governments are losing control of other industries, such as short-term vacation rentals and soda pop taxing.

When local courts do not find in favor of these industries to operate in the ways they want to, they will sometimes go to the Legislature and ask it to overturn these decisions, she said.

The gravel bills would allow mining corporations to file permits with the state to set up sand and gravel mines, but they overlook the concerns of people who live nearby, said Rep. Gary Howell, R-North Branch, who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee where the bills are pending.

The Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy has not taken a position on the bills but plans to work with Sen. Jim Ananich to ensure an effective mining program, said Dean Scott, strategic communications adviser for the department. Ananich, D-Flint, sponsored the bills, but could not be reached for comment.

Proponents say the legislation is needed to help improve the economy. Local communities have opposed mining permits, making it difficult to get sand and gravel out, said Berl Falbaum, a spokesman for the Levy Co., an aggregate mining operation in Dearborn.

“This hurts the economy, it hurts, you know, airports, housing, pavement,” he said. If potholes need to be filled, “we need this material.”

Howell, however, argues that

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the bills “are written by and for the gravel mining corporations.” The bills passed the Senate on June 2 but stalled in the House.

Instead of holding a hearing on those bills, Howell has proposed a separate bill to ensure local control in permitting, environmental regulations and residential concerns, such as hours of operation and light pollution. That power should remain in the hands of local governments and groups, he said, adding that state comment and input are good, but the power to issue permits at the state level is bad.

Giving control of permits and environmental regulations to the state could produce environmental and human harm, said Tim Minotas, the legislative and political director of the Michigan chapter of the Sierra Club.

There are sand and gravel mines throughout Michigan, but many are in rural areas of the southeastern region, Minotas said. They often are found in or near glacial outwash areas near groundwater and drinking water.

These areas contain wetlands, streams and lakes. Aggregate mining can contaminate and deplete these water supplies, which are vital for people and the environment, he said.

That is a problem both for human health and for returning natural areas to their original state, Minotas said. He wants to see a hydrogeological study on top of other requirements for protection before backing the bills.

Falbaum said, “We were environmentally friendly at a local level.”

The state’s uniform system is what is best for the environment and the industry, he said.

Gravel and sand mining are important in creating and maintaining Michigan roads, said Mike Spence, administrator of government affairs at the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments.

The permitting process, now handled locally, allows governments to consider the needs for infrastructure and their community, Spence said. The Senate bills would eliminate all local authority, and the state would likely introduce a one-sizefits-all approach to permitting and environmental protection.

Howell’s bill may be the avenue for compromise, Spence said. It suggests making the permitting process clearer, and also clearly defines situations in which aggregate mining operations might be a threat to a community, Spence said.

Minotas said local concerns, such as light and sound pollution and hours of operation, should be governed locally, but there may be room for statewide intervention and control when it comes to environmental impacts.

Most Michigan communities are doing a good job at regulating and controlling environmental concerns, but there are some outliers, Minotas said, where state-level expertise and resources may be valuable to maintain the environment.

Overall, though, locals are doing a good job, he said.

Howell said state input is appreciated, but the people that know best and care the most are locals. “In my experience, the locals are more likely to be the watchdogs that are really gonna highlight problems more so than the state.”

Organization leads students toward work with innovation skills

TalNET provides a structured path from school to employment.

Danielle Nelson

dnelson@grbj.com

A networking system is addressing the region’s talent shortage at a very early age.

Talent Innovation Network for West Michigan (TalNET) is a networking system that focuses on improving the quality of career decisions in education, training and job selection based on five innovation components: SkillSense, CareerPoint, JobSync, HireReach and IncludeAll.

The first component, SkillSense, is being implemented in students as early as kindergarten and focuses on social and emotional skills.

SkillSense specifies 12 foundational skills that are deemed important for K-12 students: communication, participation, good choices, teamwork, achievements, responsibility, reasoning, time management, tech management, decisiveness, adaptability and innovation. Each element is progressive and designed to complement a specific grade level when they are intentionally taught by teachers and practiced by students over time.

Jason Pasatta, director of instructional services for Ottawa Area ISD, said those elements originated from he and his team’s collaboration with employers who identified specific skills they would like employees to have.

Pasatta acknowledged that many schools have programs in place that utilize different resources involving social and emotional skills.

He said SkillSense provides a framework educators can follow to be included in the curriculum at different age levels, so students develop those skills over time and they are reinforced from level to level.

To make that somewhat easier for teachers to introduce elements of SkillSense, Pasatta established a pilot program two years ago in seven school districts, including Grand Haven Area Public Schools and Zeeland Public Schools. He said some districts are working with SkillSense as it corresponds to grade levels in elementary schools or middle schools, while others are teaching some of those skills at a specific grade level.

Pasatta said the goal is to continue the pilot program for the next year, but as it is being implemented, he is learning from it.

“Students are in all sorts of different contexts, neighborhoods,” he said. “There are different settings, from rural to suburban to urban areas. The school districts that exist within different contexts are all different. They have different pressures, different things that they are dealing with, different strengths and having a one size fits all sort of approach to the work probably doesn’t make sense, especially when you are trying to align systems where we are all speaking the same language and we want to have the same terms. We are not saying that this going to be a structured curriculum that we want everyone to implement and do it a certain way. It will be more of a framework where you can apply to what you are currently doing that, hopefully, you’ll have a little more flexibility in how it is being implemented from schools to schools or districts to districts.”

Nevertheless, there is a clear goal of how SkillSense is meant to guide students in their life and career decisions after they graduate from high school.

“First and foremost, I hope they have these skills that will honestly allow them to excel in post-secondary education and any jobs they would like to pursue, but I also hope that they realize that through this process that they might have strengths and skills that may align with different career industries,” he said. “So, if I am really good at things like innovation, (or) I am really good at time management and decisiveness, those are different (skills) that they might want to think about and see whether that might apply to engineering or health care or the service industry, or something else that might lend itself to the skills that they are naturally good at.”

CareerPoint helps high school graduates determine career options and how to pursue them. It is designed for employers, educators and job placement professionals to work with individuals to identify their skills and abilities that will lead them to jobs that are suitable for them. CareerPoint uses seven steps to help potential employees: intake, coaching, support, learning, credentials, profiles and placement.

The intake step connects individuals to career pathways. The coaching step helps individuals make informed career choices after advancing through four stages, which include self-awareness, option exploration, decision-making and action planning. The third step is helping individuals find financial support and other wrap-around services to support their career choice. The learning step links individuals to education, training and

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