Part Time Faculty for Wayne State University Department of Public Health

As the Project Manager for Centers of Health Equity Practice and Detroit Health Innovations, I am responsible for coordinating projects, overseeing the development, implementation, and facilitation of health equity and social justice public health programming for a range of audiences. I am responsible for project management, communication, and relationship building. I ensure that the consultation, analyses, and innovation of projects in health equity and social justice are effort to transform the practice of public health. I aid in the strategic vision for Detroit Health Innovations, Center for Health Equity Practice, and the Institute as a whole. Working directly with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), The Centers for diseaseControl and Prevention (CDC), and funder organizations.I develop work plans, timelines, implement project activities, develop policies and procedures, manage subcontractors, and write progress reports for State and grant funded projects. I lead team meetings and receive project updates on the completion status of tasks, ongoing activities, and project issues from project staff. Assisting the research team, I aid in cleaning the data and converting findings into graphs for reports. I support the development of team members and provides mentorship and guidance as needed.I provide management support for Southeast Michigan Perinatal Quality Improvement Coalition (SEMPQIC). Leading health equity trainings for hospital systems and health plans, I support efforts to reduce maternal morality through systems change and equity promotion. Within SEMPQIC, I oversee 7 program areas from funders such as Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, W.W Kellogg Foundation, Merck for Mothers Safer Childbirth Cities, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation.

As a CDC contractor, I engage in an interdisciplinary environment with Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Quarantine and Border Health Services under the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, and State and local health departments to provide support services to over 100 travelers monthly. Under Presidential Proclamation 212F, I work at 1 of 11 funneling airports screening for Covid-19 and other viruses/diseases to reduce, monitor, and conduct surveillance reports. Through Contact Investigation (CI), I preform epidemiological reports that promote prevention aspects of infectious diseases, while understanding operational, organizational, programmatic systems applied by public health stakeholders. For COVID-19, I have completed over 25 CIs to provide data used at the state and local level for contact investigations regarding COVID-19. I assist in the application of epidemiological principles and/or procedures in CI reports by preforming an investigation, review, and analyze to determine the transmission or other causation of diseases.I conduct visual inspections and pass out educational information to over 200 travelers weekly. I have filed over 100 total case management reports of illness responses, Active Surveillances, and importations from entry to closing into the Quarantine Active surveillance program (QARS). By reviewing medical records of migrant/refugee travelers, I determine if travelers are cleared for diseases of interest including Tuberculosis, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and Ebola at all ports of entry in Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky. Under CDC 42 CFR 71, I review and process all human and animal biologic importations intercepted by CBP Agriculture by checking for CDC permits and statement of non-infectiousness to determine entry. I have completed 20 importations reports in QARS, which entails a visual risk assessment, pathogen of interest description, and photographic images of the animal or biologic.

I served as management for 35 Patient Advocate representatives across Detroit Receiving, Harper Hutzel, Sinai Grace, and Huron Valley hospitals to monitor productivity of uninsured patients accessing care. For over 500 uninsured and/or low-income patients, I acted as their legal authorized representative by completing Medicaid and Market Place enrollments on their behalf, as well as provided their required legal documentation to Department of Health and Human Services caseworkers to cover the cost of hospitalization and post-discharged care. I served families of deceased patients to advocate for medical coverage to pay for previous hospital stay’s bill. I ensured all qualified patients were connected to healthcare coverages to aid in population health promotion by patients accessing follow up care and prescription drugs when discharged. Partnered with the hospital social worker team, I aided in providing over 100 patients vital resources and social services like housing programs, assisted-living centers, and transportation to low-income patients. For patients who were ineligible for Medicaid, I worked with the hospital’s Charity team to approve over 75 patients’ financial assistance with their medical bills. I completed around 20 home visits a month to reach discharged patients who needed Medicaid enrollment, to ensure that patients who lacked access of transportation, internet services, and/or had medical conditions that prevented travel were still provided health insurance.As the head trainer, I coordinated all new hire training protocols and continuing education classes for a total of 20 staff members. I designed a 45-page training manual and 5 health policy guides based-off performance data to reduce future errors by promoting best practices. The training manual I created focused on the coding of the software system ACE, which record and stratified patients that were: uninsured, Medicare Part A (only), Medicare Advantage, and/or Veteran patients.

As the program coordinator, I conducted research to create and implement a community-based intervention program regarding the opioid crisis. I recruited members of the community who were most at-risk (African American men 55 years and older) for an opioid overdose for a free virtual Narcan certification class. The certification class informed participants of opioid education, prevention, available alternatives for acute pain management, and proper Narcan usage. All participants who completed the class received a free Narcan (Naloxone) kit provided. I trained and certified 500 city of Detroit members who were deemed most at-risk for an opioid related overdose by forming new partnerships with Detroit Police Departments, Detroit senior living centers, multicultural fraternities on Wayne State University’s campus, and local churches. I facilitated alongside the Detroit Police Departments the "DEA Take Back" event with United States Drug Enforcement Administration where community members were able to safely discard unwanted medications and recreational drugs across 6 drop sites in Detroit. By designing a qualitative survey, I developed metrics by administering the survey to all participants of the training class to gather demographic and risk factor data. I created 2 infographics that were data driven to inform and educate communities members on non-opioid treatment options for acute pain management, and the importance of being a partner in their own health that is disseminated at local clinical sites in Detroit. The data I collected through surveys, the new partnerships I created, and the number of participants I certified was the focal point used in applying for grants to obtain more funding and continue the program for the following year.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, I served as a supervisor for 10 medical screeners at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s Detroit locations. As a supervisor, I assigned daily tasks, recorded time sheets, and resolved conflicts to ensure service excellence standards were met.Following local, state, and federal health policies, I enforced all CDC guidelines by delegating dailymedical questionnaires to around 50 staff members a day regarding COVID-19 exposure and symptoms to reduce COVID19 transmission. I monitored all personnel entering the building by ensuring each person had the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in line with the Michigan mask mandate to prevent the spread of COVID-19.I recruited and interviewed 10 medical screener candidates to fill open positions across 4 Michigan Blue Cross Blue Shield locations and referred 3 for hire processed by human resources. I trained all 10 medical screeners who directly reported to me.

I documented enrollment forms for 50 new patients that included demographic information recorded on electronic medical records to update Make Your Date’s research database. For existing patients, I conducted around 20 follow up calls a week to complete a needs-based questionnaire which was used to connect each patient to resources selected such as affordable housing, transportation, domestic abuse services, and programs like WIC and Sister Friends.I facilitated health education classes both one-on-one with a patient and in group classes to build support networks for expecting mothers. As the head health educator, I conducted 12 specialized training course that included: Preterm Birth Prevention, Baby Basics, Nutrition, Common Pregnancy Discomforts, Staying Active, Breastfeeding, Planning for Birth, Newborn Care, Building a Healthy Future,Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence, Pregnancy with Multiples, and Substance Abuse Use in Pregnancy.I scheduled over 75 Lyft rides for patients who needed transportation to and from their prenatal appointments. I aided in organizing community outreach events across Detroit such as the March ofDimes walk located at DMC.

I implemented Applied Behavioral Analysis treatment to over 30 pediatric clients with autism spectrum disorder through an Individualized Treatment Plan (IDP) designed and agreed upon by the client and family. I collected, documented, and reported clients' daily assessment data to track behavioral episodes, food intake, communication, and other skills of interests based on the ID.I researched, developed, and wrote 12 personalized treatment programs to promote speech and communications for non-verbal clients.

Delivered patient care by recording vital signs, documenting observations, administering treatments,and evaluating patient needsFacilitated activities of daily living, including personal hygiene management, feeding, ambulation, and social event