Last year, the “BWell” insignia began to appear around Saginaw.
It’s short for “Be Well, Saginaw,” and with lack of information, everyday residents may have viewed this as another charity event for another worthy cause.
But BWell is not among the local nonprofit “501(c)(3)” agencies. The eye-catching script is prominent in the Saginaw County Health Department’s logo. In fact, it’s the title of the county’s Community Health Improvement Plan, now near a midpoint of development, which will include both updates and new approaches.
It’s not County Health’s first long-range plan. Updates have always been ongoing. But this will be the first time the emerging Health Equity Council is involved.
Chairwoman Joyce Seals not only is the former Saginaw mayor, she also serves on the Board of Education and as a leader for Saginaw Promise college scholarship and Ezekiel Project community organizing efforts, among a wide range of civic service roles. Her husband is retired family physician, Dr. Eugene Seals, and their daughter, Dr. Delicia Pruitt, has followed in her father’s footsteps, now serving as the Health Department’s medical director.
The Equity Council, among 11 established in Michigan, is backed by $250,000 in state funds. Members include several dozen program and agency leaders, some more active than others.
As a moniker, the BWell intent is to become recognized, maybe not to the extent of the Nike or Amazon symbols, but in the same manner, with citizens as customers and clients.
As a plan, the goal is to involve the people in the product.
“We can put forward programs and say, ‘we think you will like this,’ but when the community is involved in the development, that’s when we really see a response,” says Christina Harrington, health department chief executive.
Priority work groups are obesity/chronic disease, mental health/substance abuse, and maternal/child health, and each will include sub-groups in order to push for specific actions beyond broad general policy. For example, in maternal and child health, recruitment of salaried mentors or “doumos” already has started. For info, click here.
Harrington says an ongoing challenge will be to recruit volunteers for the subgroups, seeking members with expertise in academics, training, agency work and above all, life experience.
Anyone who wishes to get involved may click here.
