HealthWest is excited to bring back Human Trafficking Awareness training for staff. One of our own, Carly Campbell, is the co-chair of the Lakeshore Human Trafficking task force and was recently certified to train our staff on this topic. This training is a requirement for all licensed social workers and we are thrilled to be able to offer it with an in-house expert, free of charge to staff. We are also applying for Social Work CEUs and possibly other credits.

The first training will take place March 24 with plans to offer it quarterly throughout the year.  Register for this class in Relias.

Let us know your favorite name by Feb. 11 using the link below. The top-10 selections will go on to be the finalists during our live vote during the February 14 all-staff meeting. 

January is National Black History Month and Cancer Prevention Month. T.I.D.E has prepared a PDF with information to help expand your knowledge on both topics.

Each week we will feature a highlight in the newsletter, but you can also download the full presentation.

Dr. Stevenson is a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, director of the Racial Empowerment Collaborative and the Forward Promise program, and the developer and trainer of Preventing Long-term Anger and Aggression in Youth (PLAAY). The intervention empowers youth, families and individuals to address the effects of trauma and chronic stress on African American boys.

Offered at NNEDLearn, successful implementation of PLAAY has resulted in improved school attendance, reduced suspension rates and improved relationships among African American youth, their peers and teachers. PLAAY has evolved into a national model for school and community-based mental health care for youth at risk for academic failure and juvenile justice involvement.

The PLSF Program is a student loan forgiveness program that forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. HealthWest is a qualifying employer! 

The link for information about the PSF program is:  Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness Program.

The link for information about the expansion program: Public Service Loan Forgiveness Limited Waiver Opportunity | Federal Student Aid.

If you decide to apply for this program (applications are available using the links above), please email a copy of your application including the first page signed in ink to Erin McCleary at Muskegon County Human Resources and she will complete the verification of employment section of your application. Note that electronic signatures are not accepted, you must physically sign and then send them electronically.

The deadline for the HRSA/NHSC SUD Loan Repayment Program is Feb. 3. All fully-licensed clinicians are eligible to apply. The link for the application is https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loan-repayment/nhsc-sud-workforce-loan-repayment-program

The checklist, a PDF document titled "Latitude 43 Interactive Checklist," will be automatically placed on your computer desktop by our IT Department. The document will appear after your computer connects to the office network. For those working remotely, the file should appear after connecting to the network through the VPN. You can also download the checklist by clicking here.

This document will help you keep track of everything you need to accomplish before our Feb. 28 go-live date for Latitude 43 and provides links to all required trainings in one location.

You can nominate them to be featured in the newsletter using this form!