Health Initiatives

Supporting Black Men and Boys’ Mental Health

Too often, Black men and boys are told to “man up” — to handle whatever they’re facing alone. Healing Brothers United (HBU) is working to change that. HBU is focused on strengthening culturally responsive mental health and well-being support for Black men and boys in Washtenaw County.

Same-Day Opioid Treatment for Michigan Residents

For anyone in Michigan struggling with opioid addiction or withdrawal, the OPEN Warmline offers a direct path to care — no insurance required.

The warmline connects callers with a Care Navigator and a Packard Health medical provider the same day, who can prescribe buprenorphine immediately — an FDA-approved medication that reduces withdrawal symptoms, cravings, and overdose risk. Follow-up support is included to ensure the medication is working and to link patients to long-term care.

The results speak for themselves. One patient, released after a decade in prison, used the warmline to secure and hold steady employment. Another celebrated their first withdrawal-free Christmas in years. The Ingham County Health Department called the warmline “an amazing point of access” for their clients.

The warmline provides care that meets people where they are. Abstinence is never required, and returning to use is never treated as failure — patients are always welcome back.

Care Where It’s Needed Most

Stable housing and good health are deeply connected — and for people without either, the barriers to care can feel insurmountable. Packard Health meets patients where they are through two community partnerships that bring primary care directly into the places people call home.

In partnership with the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County, we operate an on-site medical clinic at the Robert J. Delonis Center for individuals experiencing homelessness, connecting them to the same quality primary care available at our main practice.

Through partnerships with Avalon Housing and the AnnArbor Housing Commission, we provide medical and behavioral health care at affordable housing sites across Washtenaw County — helping formerly homeless individuals not just find housing, but stay healthy enough to keep it.

A Healthier Return

People leaving incarceration face some of the most acute health risks of any population — and one of the narrowest windows to address them. Up to 80% return to their communities with chronic medical, psychiatric, or substance use conditions, and the risk of fatal opioid overdose in the weeks after release is more than ten times that of the general public.

In partnership with the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department, we connect incarcerated individuals with primary care before they leave — ensuring continuity of medications, chronic disease management, and overdose prevention right when it matters most.

This work helps ensure that leaving incarceration is the beginning of better health, not a gap in care.

The American Heart Association in Michigan is helping us promote and support healthy habits by providing blood pressure monitors, resources for dietary and physical activity support, and six month Ann Arbor YMCAmemberships.