Community Health Workers Library Institute
iMPROve Health is Michigan’s designated Quality Improvement Organization. As a nonprofit organization, we have more than 39 years’ experience improving healthcare across the continuum of care using evidence-based and data-driven logic. In 2021, iMPROve Health was awarded a Michigan Health Endowment Fund Behavioral Health grant. Called “Libraries as Mental Health Hubs,” the project is focused on situating rural libraries as sites to receive mental health and other assistance. Eleven libraries in Antrim, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Oceana, and Osceola counties are partners in this project. Everyday Life Consulting provides in-person Community Health Workers (CHW) in participating libraries through April 2024.
Libraries often function as community hubs, and staff are considered trusted go-to persons for help and resources, so they are ideally suited to these kinds of partnerships and services. However, one of the challenges for staff has been a need for more training and awareness of existing resources or, if known, the best way to help someone access those resources. The project addresses these critical gaps by training library staff in Mental Health First Aid and life-saving naloxone administration. Libraries were also provided with naloxone safety kits to ensure staff are prepared should an opioid overdose occur. Two libraries even advocated having Narcan vending machines in their buildings or a local community space. Libraries were also offered funding for laptops and hotspots for patrons to check out for telehealth appointments.
Several community partners are involved in this project, including the Area Agency on Aging of West Michigan (AAAWM), Community Mental Health for Central Michigan (CMHCM), and Senior Resources of West Michigan. These partners host events within the participating libraries. Last May, CMHCM hosted a Paws-some event that allowed patrons to read with therapy dogs. CMHCM also provided multiple free Mental Health First Aid training events for community members.
Upcoming events include a presentation on April 3rd at 11 a.m. by Senior Resources of West Michigan at the Pentwater Township Library highlighting their services, including the mental health resources available for older adults. On June 4th at 6 p.m., AAAWM will discuss caregiver support, dementia education, and other services they provide at the Tamarack District Library. The partner organizations and libraries now have direct communication to continue to plan events and share resources long after the culmination of this project.
“Libraries as Mental Health Hubs” aims to improve access to behavioral health services in rural, underserved counties. Library staff have connected their community to local mental health agencies and other community resources through the project. The partnership with Everyday Life Consulting also provides this access and connects patrons and staff to other much-needed supports, such as transportation, housing, and food resources.
Since launching the partnership in February of this year, the Everyday Life Consulting team has already helped community members at the Big Rapids Community Library, Evart Public Library, LeRoy Community Library, and Marion Public Library. Their CHWs offer free, no-appointment consultations where patrons are connected to healthcare providers, housing, food, and transportation. They also provide coaching and social support when needed. With every library visit, CHWs are not just opening books – they're opening doors to better health and a stronger community.
The Everyday Life Consulting CHW working on this project, Danielle Hixson, has been busy forming relationships with community members and library staff members. When a patron enters a participating library, Hixson greets them and offers a safe space for confidential discussions and support. The library visits provide onsite assistance and connect people to the resources they need before they walk out the door.
After each visit, Hixson reports to iMPROve Health about her experience at the library. Thus far, she has helped patrons connect to behavioral health resources, secure food assistance, find primary care providers, and learn about daycare options. Danielle and the Everyday Life Consulting team understands the importance of building relationships to gain the trust of community members who are geographically disconnected from resources. Meeting community members where they are at–in their local library–helps to break down transportation barriers that may otherwise stop them from getting assistance.
Hixson discusses the importance of this project and the role Everyday Life Consulting plays: “In rural areas, residents face geographic barriers to accessing resources. Meeting people where they are is crucial, particularly in overcoming transportation challenges. Recently, I had the privilege of rebuilding trust with a young community member skeptical of the mental health system. Through several meetings, I helped him schedule his first appointment."
The “Libraries as Mental Health Hubs” project continues through August 2024. If you would like more information, please contact Jane Lozen at jlozen@improve.health. To learn more about Community Health Worker services, please visit https://everydaylifechw.com/.