Health

Counties look to Medicaid to slow mental health costs

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By CORTNEY ERNDT
Capital News Service
LANSING – Jail inmates’ mental health costs will continue to rise without an expansion of Medicaid, according to sheriff’s departments across the state. In 2012, the Allegan County Jail spent about $15,250, averaging about $1,270 per month to improve mental health, the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department said. In March of this year, mental health services for inmates cost about $2,400, almost double the monthly average of 2012, the department said. Ann Russell, the corrections administrator at Oakland County Jail, said her sheriff’s office spends about $1.3 million annually on inmate mental health services, including the cost of medications. “The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office has been working for many years to assist in reducing the jail’s cost for mental health services,” Russell said.

Business & Economy

On-the-job social media use vexes some employers

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By CORTNEY ERNDT
Capital News Service
LANSING – Michigan’s employers are struggling to keep employees on-task, despite the lures of social media. The International Data Corp. estimates that nationally, 30 to 40 percent of employees’ Internet activity is not business-related, which results in millions of dollars in lost productivity every year. Some employers have resorted to Internet monitoring and filtering software to track what websites employees are accessing, in an effort to increase both network security and employee productivity. Maggie McPhee, Human Resources Group of West Michigan director in Grand Rapids, said, “It distracts employees because it’s just one more thing they have to deal with.

Education

Prisons, community colleges team up for classes

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By CORTNEY ERNDT
Capital News Service
LANSING – More community colleges are partnering with the Department of Corrections to educate inmates in hopes of boosting their chances success after release. Inmates qualified for college-level work are using prison classrooms typically used for substance abuse or GED preparation to further their education. Last fall, a pilot program was launched that offered Jackson Community College courses at G. Robert Cotton Correctional Facility in Jackson. Daniel Heyns, Corrections director, said, “The teachers enjoy doing it. The people that are enrolled are motivated students – I’ve heard it said even more motivated than free students.”
He said, “Maybe they value the opportunity a little more.”
Kevin Rose, who teaches computer courses and advises inmates through Jackson Community College, said, “The students were much more engaged and enthusiastic than what I would typically see.”
Rose said the prisoners have a greater appreciation for education than his average students.

Health

Expansion of children's dental care stalls

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By CORTNEY ERNDT
Capital News Service
LANSING – Gov. Rick Snyder’s 2014 budget proposal to expand the Healthy Kids Dental program in West and Southeast Michigan has been blocked by House and Senate panels. West Michigan District Dental Society representative and Zeeland dentist Meredith Smedley said, “The hearts of the dentists in Ottawa County are breaking over the decision to reject the expansion.”
Snyder recommended $11.6 million to expand the program into Ottawa, Ingham and Washtenaw counties. The program now operates in 75 of Michigan’s 83 counties to provide care to Medicaid-eligible residents under age 21. According to the Michigan League for Public Policy, the expansion would lead to dental care for 50 percent of eligible children statewide next year. The governor also supports an expansion for 100,000 children in Kalamazoo, Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties in 2015.

Transportation & Roads

Bicycling deaths drop, safety urged

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By CORTNEY ERNDT
Capital News Service
LANSING – The number of Michigan’s bicyclist deaths dropped 17 percent between 2011 and last year. Meanwhile, cycling groups continue to advocate more safety measures. Fatalities are down from 24 in 2011 to 20 in 2012, according to the Office of Highway Safety Planning. One fatal bicycling crash occurred in Holland and four in Grand Rapids between 2004 and 2011, Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, Josh DeBruyn said. Overall, 788 crashes involving bicyclists were reported between 2004 and 2011 in Ottawa and Allegan counties, and 1,487 crashes in Kent County.

Education

Private colleges seek racial, not religious diversity

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By CORTNEY ERNDT
Capital News Service
LANSING – Some of Michigan’s private colleges are pushing for more racial and ethnic diversity, but not actively seeking more religious diversity. Colleges like Hope, Calvin, University of Detroit Mercy, Albion, Cornerstone and Concordia that are affiliated with denominations of Christianity are reaching out to minorities in recruitment. Yet, religious diversity is not a goal. Hope College professor of religion Barry Bandstra said, “We do promote racial and ethnic diversity. And we are naturally somewhat diverse religiously, though not as much as some students and faculty would like.”

Hope requires all students to complete two religion courses before graduation.

Education

Schools crack down as cellphones proliferate

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By CORTNEY ERNDT
Capital News Service
LANSING – Most school districts in Michigan continue to confiscate electronic devices used in classrooms, although 78 percent of U.S. teens now have a cellphone, almost half of which are smartphones. That means 37 percent of all teens carry access to social networking sites in their pockets, purses and backpacks, up from just 23 percent in 2011, according the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Peter Broderick, assistant director of communications at the Michigan Association of School Boards, said district policies primarily determines the penalty for using cellphones in class, followed by individual school policies and teacher policies. There is no statewide law regarding cellphones in classrooms.

West Ottawa High School’s student handbook notes, “Cellphones are personal media devices that may be used on campus, but are prohibited from being on or used during class time, unless deemed educationally appropriate by the teacher.”
Students can use cellphones between classes and during lunch. High schools in the Big Rapids and Grand Rapids districts have the same policy.

Health

Despite more grads, health care providers struggle to fill jobs

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By CORTNEY ERNDT
Capital News Service
LANSING – Health care providers are having trouble hiring although undergraduate degrees in health fields have doubled over the past eight years at the state’s 15 public universities. In fact, there’s not only a strong demand for health professionals across the state, but nationally, said Michigan Health Council President Anne Rosewarne. “We are very sure that there is some shortage,” Rosewarne said. Although there are more than 4,000 health care bachelor degrees earned each year at Michigan’s public universities, qualified candidates remain in demand, Rosewarne said. “Competition isn’t an issue,” Rosewarne said, “Most human resource departments have a really, really hard time finding candidates.”
Tracey Burtch, a public affairs manager at the Michigan Health and Hospital Association said the industry employs more than 558,000 people in the state, but a large number of physicians and nurses are reaching retirement age.

Education

Three school districts to cooperate in anti-bullying effort

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By CORTNEY ERNDT
Capital News Service
LANSING – The departments of Education and Civil Rights launched a joint initiative to implement effective anti-bullying high school pilot programs in three districts. Detroit, Vandercook Lake and Allendale Public Schools were selected from nine applicants to participate, based on size and student population. Allendale Superintendent Daniel Jonker said, “We’re very excited to be part of the pilot project. We’re looking forward to the collaboration so we can learn from our colleagues and the Department of Civil Rights.”

Jonker said, “We have a bullying-prevention committee. We have trained all our staff on bullying prevention.

Education

Push on vocational training would ease curriculum mandate

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By CORTNEY ERNDT
Capital News Service
LANSING – A proposal to lower Michigan Merit Curriculum (MMC) requirements for vocational training students may boost manufacturing careers, some legislators said. Students who successfully complete one year of vocational training would be able to avoid the mandatory algebra II credit, a credit of science, one credit of the arts, and the online/learning experience requirement. Rep. Joel Johnson, R-Clare, said, “I really feel that we need to make sure those who have an interest in a vocational skill have an opportunity to learn those skills without being penalized.”

An approved career program with math content, such as electronics, machining, construction, welding, engineering or renewable energy would fulfill the requirements. Johnson said, “I think we’ve missed the boat somewhat with our high school students, where we’ve said each student has to be prepared for a university education.”
To graduate, the MMC requires four credits in math, three in science, four in English language arts, three in social studies, one in physical education and health, one in performing and applied arts, and an online/learning experience course. Jon DeWys, president of DeWys Manufacturing in Marne, said, “Those are all great things for college bound students.”
DeWys Manufacturing, is a provider of precision sheet metal components, powder coatings, stampings and other products.