Membership is comprised of a diverse group of hospitals, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, clinics and more who recognize that collaboration is the key to successfully addressing the workforce challenges facing the local health care industry.

The Council

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List of Members

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Council Benefits

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Join the Council

What is the Capital Healthcare & Employment Council?

The Capital Healthcare and Employment Council is a coalition of employers, associations, education and government entities committed to developing workforce strategies to further establish the capital area as a Healthcare Center of Excellence. A diverse group of hospitals, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, clinics and more, recognize that collaboration is the key to successfully addressing the workforce challenges facing the local health care industry.

Resolving the immediate workforce needs of healthcare employers

On behalf of its members, the Capital Healthcare and Employment Council:

• Administers an “Electronic Network” where employers can share questions, advice, thoughts and comments on healthcare-related business practices, programs and experiences.
  


• Publishes regular white papers and guides on topics of interest to healthcare employers, such as employee satisfaction survey habits and methods, conducting employee focus groups and establishing an internal mentor program.
  


• Connecting local employers to the workforce development system and its tools and resources to help employers streamline human resource efforts.
  


• Collecting region-wide retention and vacancy data from local healthcare employers to better guide solutions. Also collecting occupation-based supply and demand data to assess needed education programs and predict additional worker shortages by occupation.
  


• Providing RN specialty training for local organizations to send employees. Most of the training programs prepare RNs to take a specialty certification exam.
  


• Sponsoring a Capital Quality Initiative Academy to introduce health care employers to CQI principles and running a LEAN healthcare environment.
  


• Developing an LPN “internship” partnership with Lansing Community College and local long-term care facilities to give them better access to LPNs and to connect nursing students to relevant experience and a means of earning income.
  


• Engaged Burcham Hills Retirement Community, Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital, Eaton Rapids Medical Center, Ingham County Medical Care Facility and Mid-Michigan Physicians Group in incumbent worker training to increase the skills of current employees, and is working with additional employers. The dollar value of the training will equal $100,000, and will be conducted at no cost to the employers.
  


• Sponsored healthcare employer participation in bi-annual Capital Area Michigan Works! Job Expos (regularly $550/year), connecting employers with more than 4,000 job seekers annually.
  


• Applied for US Department of Labor Employment & Training Agency grant funding, partnering with Burcham Hills Retirement Community and Lansing Community College, to develop a pilot training program in dementia and Alzheimer’s care for direct-care workers. If funded, the pilot would be launched at other interested facilities in the capital area in years two and three of the grant.
  

Building the pipeline of future workers

On behalf of its members, the Capital Healthcare and Employment Council:

• Played a role in securing nearly $2 million in WIRED grant funding from the U.S. Department of Labor to create infrastructure for rapid entry programs at Lansing Community College.
  


• Worked to increase candidates in in-demand occupations by creating the with Ingham Intermediate School District, Eaton Intermediate School District, Clinton County Regional Education Service Agency and Lansing School District. The program, which will launch Fall Semester 2007, exposes high school seniors to a wealth of health careers before high school graduation so they are prepared for post-secondary education in the field and will be headquartered at Sparrow Hospital. The program focuses on systems-thinking and molding the healthcare worker of the future.
  


• Supported Michigan State University in its effort to secure nearly $1 million in 21st Century Workforce grant funding from the State of Michigan for accelerated nursing training. Now partnering with university to connect unemployed manufacturing workers with new careers in nursing.
  


• Working closely with K-12 partners to develop mentoring, job shadow and other career exploration opportunities for local students.
  


• Developing brochure for high school students highlighting in-demand healthcare careers, available local training and showcasing local professionals and the organizations at which they work.
  


• Providing scholarships to local high school students to participate in “OsteoCHAMPS” summer-camp at Michigan State University. OsteoCHAMPS sends disadvantaged youth to MSU for a two-week career exploration experience. Students live in MSU dorms, are partnered with current medical students and take rigorous medical based courses. The OsteoCHAMPS program estimated more than 80 percent of its participants carry on to careers or post-secondary education in healthcare.
  


• Sponsoring a “Super Saturday” at Impression 5 Science Center to teach kids and their parents about health care careers, and what training is needed to work in the field of healthcare.
  

Other council activities

• Serve as a voice for the healthcare industry in media interviews and articles.
  


• Membership meetings covering topics critical to healthcare employers, such as reducing turnover, LEAN health care practices and award-winning national training programs. Members can also attend Capital Area Michigan Works! functions such as bi-monthly Legislative Breakfasts and seminars on population, training and the local economy.
  


• A periodic e-newsletter, The Provider, updating employers of events, programs and resources.
  


• Governed by a board of directors consisting of local hospitals, long-term care facilities, physicians groups, K-12 representatives, Lansing Community College and Michigan State University.
  


• Created four committees to focus on goals outlined in the organizational charter: Data and Trends, Awareness and Promotion, Best and Promising Practices, Funding and Membership. Members can volunteer on the committees to ensure their needs are being met.
  


• Hosted and facilitated a Strategic Visioning process for the council to ensure employers’ goals and needs are met, and created an organizational charter.
  


• Created Healthcare: The Jobs Machine, a report which analyzed the current healthcare workforce in the capital area, and identified opportunities and challenges to create a world-class workforce.