The Detroit URC is one of 12 efforts throughout the nation that has been awarded a Roadmaps to Health Community Grant of $200,000 by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to improve the long-term health of people in Detroit by increasing graduation rates at several of Detroit's lowest-performing schools and ultimately putting these students on a path toward better jobs and improved health. The Skillman Foundation will provide an additional cash match of $100,000 for this project.

Last month, REACH Detroit, an affiliated partnership of the Detroit URC, organized a meeting to jumpstarting efforts toward community health worker sustainability. The meeting was titled Sustainable Funding for Community Health Worker Practice and Utilization in Michigan: Planning the Future. On August 18, 2011, over 70 stakeholders from multiple organizations and interest groups attended to hear about current efforts and were challenged to taken action in future activities working toward sustainability of CHWs in Michigan.