Community Engagement

Our outreach and engagement team plays a vital role in connecting community members to the resources they need. Through strong relationships with medical homes, community-based organizations, and system-level coalitions, the team supports screening, outreach, and navigation efforts across the community.

Our community outreach representatives are in continuous contact with partnering organizations, offering training on referral processes, troubleshooting challenges, and building trusted relationships. The collaboration ensures that organizations can effectively connect the people they serve to the information and resources they need to live healthier lives.

Relationship Builders

Strong partnerships are at the heart of effective community engagement. Each year, we conduct a partner satisfaction survey to ensure our collaborations remain meaningful, responsive, and mutually beneficial.

The results from the September 2025 survey highlight the strengths of these relationships:

• 92% agreed or strongly agreed that this partnership helps us address our clients’ Health Related Social Needs.
• 92% agreed or strongly agreed that their Community Outreach Representative is helpful, and outreach is timely.

When asked about the most valuable aspects of working with Health Net of West Michigan, partners highlighted:

• Collaboration and staff support
• Access to client resources
• Communication
• Training and capacity building

These responses reflect the importance of trust, responsiveness, and shared goals in building effective partnerships.

Change Makers

As natural connectors, our outreach team helps amplify the voices of both community members and partner organizations. In participating in local and statewide coalitions, the team brings forward real-world insights into the challenges people face when trying to access services.

This perspective, grounded in direct experience, helps inform system-level conversations and supports efforts to make services more accessible, coordinated, and easier to navigate over time.

Community-Centered Outreach

In addition to building partnerships, our team engages directly with the community by participating in local events. These moments create opportunities to share information about resource navigation services, connect with community members, and support partners in reaching more people.

As of September 2025

• Distributed 500+ board books to support Ready by Five outreach
• Attended 9 community events, reaching more than 3,500 people
• Provided 1,800 + dental supply items to community members
• Created outreach packets for HUB 07 meet and greet drop-by meetings, connecting with 20 neighboring organizations

Strengthening Connections Across the Community

Community engagement is more than outreach; it is about building lasting relationships, listening to community needs, and working together to create solutions. Through strong partnerships, meaningful engagement, and a commitment to amplifying community voices, our outreach team helps ensure that individuals and families can access the resources they need.

Investment in these connections strengthens not only individual outcomes but also the systems that support the health and well-being of our entire community.