Estelle Slootmaker
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Articles by Estelle Slootmaker
Is PreK for All meeting its goals?
About 70,000 little Michiganders will be enrolled in PreK for All this fall. In February 2023, Governor Gretchen Whitmer proposed expanding free pre-K to all Michigan 4-year-olds in her . In June 30 of that year, she announced that free pre-K would be expanded to 5,600 kids. Estimated enrollment for the ‘26-’27 school year is 70,000.
Is PreK for All meeting its goals?
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... About 70,000 little Michiganders will be enrolled in PreK for All this fall. In February 2023, Governor Gretchen Whitmer proposed expanding free pre-K to all Michigan 4-year-olds in her . In June 30 of that year, she announced that free pre-K would be expanded to 5,600 kids. Estimated enrollment for the ‘26-’27 school year is 70,000.
Detroit Midwifery School training midwives from the community of birthing people they serve
Students from the inaugural Detroit Midwifery School cohort, l – r: Jazmyn Shepherd, Ashlie Jones, Nyasia Countee, Katlyn Moss, Naomie Julugbeh, and Shaina DasGupta-Burnley When Elon Geffrard was five years old, her parents decided to include her and her sister in their new brother’s birth at a hospital birth center. They attended a sibling’s preparation class and were present for the birth, attended by a midwife. “From that day, I knew I was going to catch babies,” Geffrard says.
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics meeting Michiganders’ needs for integrated care
Washtenaw County Community Mental Health is one of Michigan’s 35 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics. Five years ago, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) launched 13 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs).
crisis services Archives - Common Ground
Five years ago, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) launched 13 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). Today, 35 CCBHCs enable local community mental health (CMH) agencies to provide whole-person care by integrating physical health with a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use disorder services, serving Michiganders no matter what their […]
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics meeting Michiganders’ needs for integrated care
Washtenaw County Community Mental Health is one of Michigan’s 35 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics. Five years ago, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) launched 13 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs).
substance use Archives - Common Ground
Five years ago, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) launched 13 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). Today, 35 CCBHCs enable local community mental health (CMH) agencies to provide whole-person care by integrating physical health with a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use disorder services, serving Michiganders no matter what their […]
health integration Archives – Common Ground
Five years ago, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) launched 13 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). Today, 35 CCBHCs enable local community mental health (CMH) agencies to provide whole-person care by integrating physical health with a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use disorder services, serving Michiganders no matter what their […]
primary care Archives - Common Ground
Five years ago, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) launched 13 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). Today, 35 CCBHCs enable local community mental health (CMH) agencies to provide whole-person care by integrating physical health with a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use disorder services, serving Michiganders no matter what their […]
preventative care Archives – Common Ground
Five years ago, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) launched 13 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). Today, 35 CCBHCs enable local community mental health (CMH) agencies to provide whole-person care by integrating physical health with a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use disorder services, serving Michiganders no matter what their […]
CPM Archives - Common Ground
Detroit Midwifery School training midwives from the community of birthing people they serve Certified professional midwives offer additional options for birth that address racial disparities in maternal-infant mortality.
Detroit Midwifery School training midwives from the community of birthing people they serve
Students from the inaugural Detroit Midwifery School cohort, l – r: Jazmyn Shepherd, Ashlie Jones, Nyasia Countee, Katlyn Moss, Naomie Julugbeh, and Shaina DasGupta-Burnley When Elon Geffrard was five years old, her parents decided to include her and her sister in their new brother’s birth at a hospital birth center. They attended a sibling’s preparation class and were present for the birth, attended by a midwife. “From that day, I knew I was going to catch babies,” Geffrard says.
children Archives - Common Ground
Detroit Public Schools intent on feeding kids healthy meals in face of impending SNAP cuts Changing federal policy impacting qualifications for SNAP benefits means more Michigan families will not be able to afford food.
nutrition and learning Archives – Common Ground
Detroit Public Schools intent on feeding kids healthy meals in face of impending SNAP cuts Changing federal policy impacting qualifications for SNAP benefits means more Michigan families will not be able to afford food.
midwifery school Archives – Common Ground
Detroit Midwifery School training midwives from the community of birthing people they serve Certified professional midwives offer additional options for birth that address racial disparities in maternal-infant mortality.
free and reduced school meals
Detroit Public Schools intent on feeding kids healthy meals in face of impending SNAP cuts Changing federal policy impacting qualifications for SNAP benefits means more Michigan families will not be able to afford food.
SNAP cuts Archives - Common Ground
Detroit Public Schools intent on feeding kids healthy meals in face of impending SNAP cuts Changing federal policy impacting qualifications for SNAP benefits means more Michigan families will not be able to afford food.
Black midwives Archives - Common Ground
Detroit Midwifery School training midwives from the community of birthing people they serve Certified professional midwives offer additional options for birth that address racial disparities in maternal-infant mortality.
home birth Archives - Common Ground
Detroit Midwifery School training midwives from the community of birthing people they serve Certified professional midwives offer additional options for birth that address racial disparities in maternal-infant mortality.
Detroit Public Schools intent on feeding kids healthy meals in face of impending SNAP cuts
Sharlonda Buckman enjoying lunch with students. Changing federal policy impacting qualifications for SNAP benefits means more Michigan families will be unable to afford food, especially healthy food. When families are undernourished, so are their children. This means free and reduced meals being offered at Michigan’s schools will become even more vital to children’s health — physical and behavioral — and academic performance. MI Families recently spoke with Sharlonda M.
Relationships with law enforcement and community organizations central to rural mental health services
Sharing iPads with law enforcement, courts, EMS, and hospitals has reinforced connections. In 2022, Sanilac County Community Mental Health (CMH) provided iPads to law enforcement. When officers encounter a person in a mental health crisis, they can connect the person with real-time mental health support via video chat. “It is 24/7 accessibility,” says Sanilac County CMH Chief Executive Officer Wil Morris. “Collaboration with law enforcement and courts is crucial for effective mental health services.
How are Michigan’s families doing?
Taniah Ingram and her daughter. Photo by Kaitlyn Moorhead. Taniah Ingram is a doula who teaches prenatal classes and hosts a breastfeeding support group in Grand Rapids. She sees firsthand the challenges young families are facing. Parents rarely have paid family leave when a new baby comes along, finding quality child care is extremely difficult, and rushing through the workday routine leaves little room for quality family time.
lead testing Archives - Common Ground
Common Ground is a solutions journalism platform linking local experiences to broader ideas, helping communities learn from one another and move forward together.
SNAP Archives - Common Ground
Latest in SNAP Head Start Parent Conference equips Michigan families for advocacy One-day convening prepared families to advocate for the early childhood programs they depend on. Federal SNAP changes threaten little Michiganders’ food access and future Good nutrition lays the foundation for physical growth, brain development, and school readiness.
Michigan Families Series
MI Families MI Families shares the work of community organizations, healthcare providers, educators, employers, and other Michiganders as they work to create better health, educational access, and economic security for all Michigan families. It is made possible with funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
Estelle Slootmaker
A working writer since 1992, Estelle Slootmaker currently is a book editor, solutions journalist, Issue Media Group series editor, and children's book author. She released her new children’s book, Places Where The Sun Don’t Shine in August 2025. An unashamed tree-hugger, Estelle chairs The Tree Amigos, City of Wyoming Tree Commission.
How are Michigan’s families doing? Rising costs and impending costs beg state leaders to respond.
Taniah Ingram and her daughter. Photo by Kaitlyn Moorhead. Taniah Ingram is a doula who teaches prenatal classes and hosts a breastfeeding support group in Grand Rapids. She sees firsthand the challenges young families are facing. Parents rarely have paid family leave when a new baby comes along, finding quality child care is extremely difficult, and rushing through the workday routine leaves little room for quality family time.
community Archives - Common Ground
Community developers’ pride for area fuels investment, catalyst for change, growth in Detroit neighborhoods Latest in community Metro Detroit schools see progress in reducing chronic absenteeism. Here’s how they’re doing it Statewide chronic absenteeism rates remain above pre-COVID-19-pandemic levels, but Metro Detroit schools are tackling chronic absenteeism by removing barriers to attendance and creating enriching, fun school experiences for students.
Is PreK for All meeting its goals?
About 70,000 little Michiganders will be enrolled in PreK for All this fall. In February 2023, Governor Gretchen Whitmer proposed expanding free pre-K to all Michigan 4-year-olds in her . In June 30 of that year, she announced that free pre-K would be expanded to 5,600 kids. Estimated enrollment for the ‘26-’27 school year is 70,000.
Michigan’s free universal pre-K program could serve 70,000 4-year-olds this school year
Pre-k helps children build a foundation for kindergarten and beyond. Pictured here and below: Pre-k program at Angels of Essence Childcare Center in Detroit. During the 2022-2023 school year, about 3,100 Kent County 4-year-olds took part in free pre-K through the State of Michigan’s Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP). To qualify, their families had to meet income restrictions. Since then, GSRP has been transformed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s PreK for All initiative.
Government / Non-profit Archives – Rapid Growth
Author Beth Nguyen and humanitarian expert Jeremy Konyndyk join a KDL and World Affairs Council series exploring immigration through global and local perspectives. The wheels on the bus go ’round and ’round: Grand Rapids’ Central Station Early Childhood Center The Rapid takes mom and dad to work -– and the littles to a brand new daycare opening in September 2026. Collaboration ensures Allegan County residents get mental health care when they need it.
Pre-K for All Archives – Common Ground
Launched in 2023, PreK for All now has no income qualifications.
Michigan’s free universal pre-K program could serve 70,000 4-year-olds this school year
Pre-k helps children build a foundation for kindergarten and beyond. Pictured here and below: Pre-k program at Angels of Essence Childcare Center in Detroit. During the 2022-2023 school year, about 3,100 Kent County 4-year-olds took part in free pre-K through the State of Michigan’s Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP). To qualify, their families had to meet income restrictions. Since then, GSRP has been transformed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s PreK for All initiative.
Is PreK for All meeting its goals?
About 70,000 little Michiganders will be enrolled in PreK for All this fall. In February 2023, Governor Gretchen Whitmer proposed expanding free pre-K to all Michigan 4-year-olds in her . In June 30 of that year, she announced that free pre-K would be expanded to 5,600 kids. Estimated enrollment for the ‘26-’27 school year is 70,000.
COVID kids and mental health: How are pandemic littles doing today?
When kids need help with their mental health, there are next steps to take — but it’s not a quick fix. For Carla Pretto, executive director of the Association for Children’s Mental Health, the effects of the pandemic on young children have not been all doom and gloom. While these children experienced a disruption in their educations and social lives, many also experienced closer bonds with family and a break from hectic schedules.
COVID kids and mental health: How are pandemic littles doing today?
When kids need help with their mental health, there are next steps to take — but it’s not a quick fix. For Carla Pretto, executive director of the Association for Children’s Mental Health, the effects of the pandemic on young children have not been all doom and gloom. While these children experienced a disruption in their educations and social lives, many also experienced closer bonds with family and a break from hectic schedules.
Small Business Social Hours foster success through face-to-face connection
“The Social Hour leads to creative partnerships and builds instant trust.” — Ashu Ahluwalia, Dhaba Indian Kitchen For the past 14 years, Ashu Ahluwalia and her husband Parbhat Ahluwalia have owned and operated Dhaba Indian Kitchen, offering traditional North Indian/Punjabi cuisine, currently at Livonia’s Laurel Park Place Mall Food Court among other venues. “My husband’s a chef.
Small Business Social Hours foster success through face-to-face connection
“The Social Hour leads to creative partnerships and builds instant trust.” — Ashu Ahluwalia, Dhaba Indian Kitchen For the past 14 years, Ashu Ahluwalia and her husband Parbhat Ahluwalia have owned and operated Dhaba Indian Kitchen, offering traditional North Indian/Punjabi cuisine, currently at Livonia’s Laurel Park Place Mall Food Court among other venues. “My husband’s a chef.
business growth Archives - Common Ground
Why face-to-face networking opportunities are even more important for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Technology Archives - Common Ground
Latest in Technology Ann Arbor foundation seeks to expand community-owned broadband networks CommunityInternet, an initiative of the Ann Arbor-based Broadband Institute Foundation, is expanding community-owned broadband in Ann Arbor through a partnership with fiber internet provider 123Net and the Veridian at County Farm development.
Small Business Social Hours foster success through face-to-face connection
“The Social Hour leads to creative partnerships and builds instant trust.” — Ashu Ahluwalia, Dhaba Indian Kitchen For the past 14 years, Ashu Ahluwalia and her husband Parbhat Ahluwalia have owned and operated Dhaba Indian Kitchen, offering traditional North Indian/Punjabi cuisine, currently at Livonia’s Laurel Park Place Mall Food Court among other venues. “My husband’s a chef.
COVID kids and mental health: How are pandemic littles doing today?
When kids need help with their mental health, there are next steps to take — but it’s not a quick fix. For Carla Pretto, executive director of the Association for Children’s Mental Health, the effects of the pandemic on young children have not been all doom and gloom. While these children experienced a disruption in their educations and social lives, many also experienced closer bonds with family and a break from hectic schedules.
high school Archives - Common Ground
COVID kids and mental health: How are pandemic littles doing today? Mental health challenges have surfaced but kids also benefited from increased family time and less hectic schedules.
How public libraries instill literacy in littles
Jackie Boss, Kent District Library Wyoming Branch youth librarian, having fun with littles at Storytime. Wondering where exemplary literacy programming for preschoolers, toddlers, and even infants is taking place? Visit any public library in any Michigan county. Three fine examples are Kent District Library (KDL), Detroit Public Library (DPL), and Battle Creek’s Willard Library.
How public libraries instill literacy in littles
Jackie Bos, Kent District Library Wyoming Branch youth librarian, having fun with littles at Storytime. Wondering where exemplary literacy programming for preschoolers, toddlers, and even infants is taking place? Visit any public library in any Michigan county. Three fine examples are Kent District Library (KDL), Detroit Public Library (DPL), and Battle Creek’s Willard Library.
How public libraries instill literacy in littles
Jackie Bos, Kent District Library Wyoming Branch youth librarian, having fun with littles at Storytime. Wondering where exemplary literacy programming for preschoolers, toddlers, and even infants is taking place? Visit any public library in any Michigan county. Three fine examples are Kent District Library (KDL), Detroit Public Library (DPL), and Battle Creek’s Willard Library.
literacy Archives - Common Ground
How public libraries instill literacy in littles Latest in literacy How these two physicians are saving the bedtime story Dennis and Archer, both Black doctors and authors in their own right, have used the trajectories of their careers to serve as representation for the generations coming after them. Where will Michigan’s next governor stand on early childhood education? Michigan's many gubernatorial candidates offer a variety of approaches to early childhood education.
numeracy Archives - Common Ground
Common Ground is a solutions journalism platform linking local experiences to broader ideas, helping communities learn from one another and move forward together.
reading Archives - Common Ground
The power of print: Preschoolers engaged in print-focused activities show stronger literacy skills The simplest tools are still the most effective: paper, pencils, and everyday print.
mental health urgent care
Mental health urgent cares and crisis stabilization units provide immediate access to mental health services.
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