Doctors and nurses help individuals get well. In contrast, public health protects entire communities by preventing illness before it starts. Public health acts as an invisible shield, preventing illness by addressing the social determinants of health — the nonmedical conditions, such as where we are born, live, work, play and age. Factors such as housing, education, economic stability and neighborhood safety often influence longevity more than genetics or access to healthcare.

“At its core, public health creates the foundation for a better future. Stopping the spread of disease, promoting active lifestyles and shielding neighborhoods through smart policy are all public health functions,” said Jennifer E. Johnson, founding chair of the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health at Michigan State University and a University Distinguished Professor. “Public health is essential infrastructure. When people’s basic needs are met, they live healthier lives. Families prosper, local economies strengthen and society flourishes.”

Through a constant cycle of research, education and community-led programs, public health professionals work tirelessly behind the scenes to build a healthier world for all.

This philosophy comes to life at the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, also referred to as MSU Public Health, at the MSU College of Human Medicine. Its mission, shaped by the people of Flint, builds on ongoing work by public health professionals. These researchers and practitioners do more than study health — they build it from the ground up, alongside members of the communities they serve.

Built by the people, for the people: Five breakthroughs in public health

In Flint, Michigan, a new model of public health is taking root — a model that is influencing local, regional and national policy. “Local wisdom” is not just a buzzword — it serves as the foundation for innovation and scientific discovery. MSU Public Health celebrates five major milestones that demonstrate how pairing community trust and decision-making with academic rigor leads to interventions and policy reforms that save lives.

Using a $60M investment from the Flint-based Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, MSU Public Health has secured another $482M in state, private and federal funding since 2015, a milestone that has directly supported the creation of more than 300 new jobs. Using the National Institutes of Health economic multiplier estimates, this level of investment will generate more than $1.2B in total economic impact, strengthening both local health and the regional economy.

No. 1 A blueprint for public health: The first cogoverned department

MSU Public Health began with a simple belief that those closest to the challenges understand them best. Now, it is the nation’s first academic department cocreated and cogoverned by the community.

Community members are deeply integrated into the department’s governance, shaping strategic priorities, evaluating faculty candidates and serving as compensated experts on committees.

Every health solution developed in Flint is sustainable because the people it serves built it. This collaborative model does more than study health; it serves as a powerful mechanism for improving outcomes and advancing meaningful policy reform.

No. 2 New standards of caring for mothers and babies

Perhaps the most visible impact of MSU’s Public Health work is having a profound impact on Michigan's newest residents — reaching over 20,000 babies and their families. Rx Kids is the nation’s first community-wide cash prescription program for mothers and babies that has spread to over 40 Michigan communities with measurable impacts on family financial stability, maternal mental health, prenatal care utilization, birth outcomes, child welfare and local economic stimulus.

Led by Mona Hanna, pediatrician and associate dean for public health, Rx Kids treats poverty as a preventable disease. A place-based solution, Rx Kids provides mothers with $1,500 during pregnancy and babies with $500 per month for a designated period of six to 12 months. This approach empowers parents to meet essential needs and alleviates the toxic stress of financial instability.

Michigan families also benefit from a group of MSU Public Health programs that focus on the health of mothers. Johnson leads a portfolio of maternal health programs: The MIRACLE Center aims to end the maternal mortality crisis among Black and rural mothers; the Reach Out, Stay Strong Essentials, or ROSE, programworks to prevent postpartum depression — cutting cases by 50% and proving cost-effective when offered to all mothers; and the Healing After Loss, or HeAL, program provides free, trauma-informed support to Michigan families facing the challenges of perinatal loss.

Technology plays a vital role as well. Steven Ondersma, clinical psychologist and associate chair for research, is leveraging digital tools to improve maternal and infant health in rural and underserved communities. His work with the High Touch High Tech program brings the Pregnancy Checkup app to prenatal clinics across Michigan, enabling risk screening and connecting patients to resources — breaking down barriers like transportation, childcare and language.

Improving breastfeeding rates and birthing experiences for Black women is at the heart of efforts to advance health for mothers and children. As a registered dietitian and lactation specialist, Gayle Shipp, assistant professor, connects Black mothers with supportive community resources and studies the barriers they face in reaching their feeding goals through a series of projects including the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes program. By supporting mothers early on, these efforts help ensure every new family has a healthier, better-supported start.

Together, this work forms a comprehensive network that addresses the unique barriers that mothers and babies face. By prioritizing a mother’s health, MSU is helping to stabilize and strengthen the future of entire communities.

No. 3 Nutrition as “forever medicine”

After the water crisis, nutrition emerged as a priority as the Flint community sought ways to fight lead absorption. Amy Saxe-Custack, registered dietitian and Pediatric Public Health Initiative nutrition director, partnered with Flint pediatricians to develop Michigan’s first Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program for kids. The program increases access to healthy, locally grown foods by providing children with prescriptions for fresh fruits and vegetables when they visit their pediatrician.

Prescriptions can be filled for $15 of fresh fruits and vegetables at the Flint Farmers’ Market, Flint Fresh, a food hub that distributes locally grown produce in home-delivered boxes, and at select Meijer grocery stores. Results of the program show that over time, children in the program consume more fresh fruits and vegetables, experience less food insecurity and have healthier blood pressure measures. 

While the Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program encourages families to purchase more fresh produce, Flint Kids Cook teaches kids how to prepare and enjoy healthy foods. Taught by a professional chef and registered dietitian at the Flint Farmers’ Market, Flint Kids Cook introduces youth to new cooking skills and recipes that promote nutrition and cultivate a love of cooking. The results of the program extend beyond nutrition: Research shows that youth are not only more accepting of healthy foods but also report significant improvements in cooking skills, nutrition knowledge, and social and emotional well-being, leading to healthier lives.

No. 4 Targeted cancer prevention

While the search for a cancer cure often begins with early detection, racial disparities in screening remain a major hurdle. In Flint, a public health initiative is tackling this by directly involving community members. Through a partnership between MSU Public Health and the R.L. Jones Community Outreach Center, a new Community Health Advisory Board is transforming the way life-saving information about colorectal cancer, or CRC, reaches underserved populations.

This effort is urgent. CRC remains the third most common cancer in the U.S., and cases among adults under 50 are rising. CRC disproportionately affects African American communities. The project aims to bridge the long-standing trust gap between residents and the medical establishment.

To drive this change, Todd Lucas, professor, teamed up with Sandra S. Jones, founder of the R.L. Jones Community Outreach Center. Their aim: to increase the use of at-home colorectal screening kits. A grant from the American Cancer Society supports this partnership. Academic expertise and local leadership ensure that life-saving tools reach those who need them most.

No. 5
Setting the national agenda for health equity research

Health equity gives everyone a fair and just chance to be as healthy as possible. It is achieved by removing barriers — such as poverty, discrimination and the lack of good jobs — that prevent certain groups from reaching their full health potential. Flint’s voice is now a leading force in setting the national agenda for health equity. In early 2026, MSU became one of three national coordinating centers for the Health Equity Research for Action, or HERA, program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

MSU researchers Kent Key, a Flint resident and associate chair for community-partnered institutional administration, and Nadia Abuelezam, associate professor of family medicine, are serving as national thought leaders. They are co-designing how health equity research is funded across the U.S., ensuring that the lived experiences of residents in cities like Flint dictate national health priorities.

The initiative is guided by a distinguished group of community advisors who bring decades of specialized expertise to the project. This group includes Artina Carter, a social justice advocate, community engagement professional and health equity scholar; Celeste Sanchez Lloyd, maternal and child health advocate; Ella Greene-Moton, a veteran public health advocate who made history in 2023 as the first elected community member to serve as president of the American Public Health Association; and Madiha Tariq, deputy county executive of the Health and Human Services and the Public Services departments in Oakland County. They are joined by Matthew Jaber Stiffler, director of the Center for Arab Narratives at the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services, or ACCESS. Providing additional strategic oversight are senior advisors Rev. Sarah Bailey, co-founder and CEO of the Flint-based organization Bridges into the Future, and Luther Evans, founder and president of the health care marketing firm Anderson and Associates.

The impact extends far beyond MSU and Flint

The legacy of this vision reaches well beyond the Flint city borders. By forging deep partnerships and prioritizing local knowledge, MSU Public Health has redefined what it means for academic departments to partner with community members to advance health. Its impact can be seen in thriving families, strengthened neighborhoods and innovative policies now emulated nationwide. As Flint’s story continues to inspire new generations of public health leaders, its greatest achievement may be showing the world that lasting transformation is possible when communities and institutions build a future together.