Earlier this month, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel testified to the State Oversight Committee about how her department is spending your tax dollars.
Under the Freedom of Information Act, Michigan Enjoyer obtained an itemization of all the nonprofits funded through MDHHS in 2024. We found Hertel’s agency funneled over $176 million to a nonprofit, the Michigan Public Health Institute, where she serves as president of the board of directors.
Despite essentially overseeing herself, she couldn’t tell lawmakers how the funds are being spent on DEI-focused “public health” initiatives.
The mission of MPHI is to “advance Population Health through Public Health Innovation and Collaboration, Working to Promote Health and Advance Well-being for all.”
So what do they do with our tax dollars?
No one can be too sure, not even Hertel. When asked by State Rep. Jaime Greene if she could name one university project MIPH had partnered with, Hertel could not.
Hertel was couldn’t answer a question from House Oversight Committee Chair Jay DeBoyer on whether or not the organization provides pro-bono services to out-of-state organizations.
A review of MPHI’s Instagram offers some clues about what the organization is actually all about. Most recently, an Instagram post defined what MPHI thinks public health actually is:
“Reducing bias in health data to ensure accurate outcomes.” By their own definition, does MPHI believe health data and care is not an objective, measurable fact, or is health an idea that can be manipulated or influenced by woke ideology?
Racial equity is a constant focus of MPHI. In January, MPHI’s Chief Strategy Officer Paul Elam was a panelist for the National Day of Racial Healing, committed to “racial and social equity.”
MPHI also partners with the Center for Social Change, which “creates positive, impactful community change by addressing hard-to-solve social issues.” Since when did public health become a “social” issue?
MPHI’s CEO is Renée Canady, author of “Room at the Table: A Leader’s Guide to Advancing Health Equity and Justice.” The homepage on her website touts the importance of “health equity leadership.” She says, “DEI is about the culture we build and the values we hold. It is who we are as public health leaders,” and last October, she hosted a “DEIA Panel on Public Health” at Western Michigan University.
MPHI’s definition of public health is so abstract, vague, and overreaching it is easily subject to abuse and misappropriation. MPHI posts about racial equity, social justice, climate justice, and other woke initiatives, but veer far away from health into criminal justice reform, transportation, and even art, all funded by taxpayers without public oversight.
Citizens have the right to know what impact MPHI is having on Michiganders under the umbrella of public health and MDHHS.
If the organization is nothing more than another slush fund and job-creation machine for Michigan Democrats to advance their woke agenda, we could request a full audit of the organization chaired by Elizabeth Hertel.
But that investigation might be overseen by MDHSS Director Elizabeth Hertel.
Hertel was asked by Rep. Greene: “If MPHI mismanages funds, who is held accountable for the nonprofit?” Hertel answered: “It depends on the funds that you’re looking at. A significant amount of the funding they receive funnels through the Department of Health and Human Services, so we’re responsible for that.”
I’m sure she’ll go through it with a fine-toothed comb. Maybe she can even explain how her nonprofit is committed to protecting Michiganders from industrial smoke but not three summers of Canadian wildfire pollution.
Anna Hoffman is a hockey mom of three living in Ann Arbor. Follow her on X @shoesonplease.
