State legislators have entered legislation that would make ‘vaccination status’ a civil rights class and curb the government’s ability to enforce vaccine mandates for children.
Robin Erb
Robin Erb covers a range of health issues in Michigan, including the industry of aging and the issues facing older residents in Michigan, a state that is aging faster than most others. She joined Bridge in 2019 and has led investigations that tracked millions of dollars in opioid settlement money and explored severe worker shortages in health care that threaten lives and the state's economy. She chronicled the shock and grief of Michigan families in COVID’s wake, as well as state policy decisions and the triumphs of medical breakthroughs. Robin previously spent six years covering health at the Detroit Free Press, documenting the battle over, and the eventual passage of, the Affordable Care Act and Michigan's Medicaid expansion. She studied communications and political science at Miami University and has a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Lourdes University (Toledo, Ohio). She and her husband raised two wonderful children — but have failed miserably at training their Beagle-Bassets — in southeast Michigan. Reach her at rerb@bridgemi.com.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
A steep drop in Michigan overdose deaths, thanks in part to Narcan
About 1,000 fewer Michiganders died in 2024 from overdoses, according to provisional data released Thursday by Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. At the same time, advocates note, federal funding for prevention, treatment and recovery remains uncertain.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Watchdogs: Michigan nursing homes may be hiding profits as residents suffer
A new report on four Michigan nursing home chains scrutinizes their use of affiliate companies to pay themselves for services, as complaints about care mount.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan must beef up mental health services for kids under court settlement
A settlement agreement would require the state to offer more services for children with mental illness and their families. But even if a federal judge signs off on the pact, it’s unclear how quickly the changes would happen.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan public health labs try to adjust after loss of federal funds
Six public health departments in Michigan were using federal funds to expand testing for disease and even guard against terrorist attacks, local leaders say. But that funding ended abruptly in March.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Battle over Medicaid boils over in DC; what it means for Michigan
A congressional plan to cut Medicaid funding advanced late Sunday as the battle continues over the safety net program that covers more than 2.6 million Michiganders.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
As Michigan ages, funding gaps widen for senior centers. Some call for change
Studies show that recreation is key to healthy aging, but Michigan relies mostly on a hodgepodge of local taxes that advocates say has led to a system of have and have-nots.
Posted inTalent & Education
‘Gutted.’ Michigan losing $200M in fed research funding, with more in limbo
Research at Michigan universities and hospitals – including work on cancer treatments and Great Lakes algae blooms — is being pared back or delayed as the Trump administration slashes federal spending.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan Medicaid has ballooned. Cuts are likely. Here’s what to know
Michigan now covers more than double the portion of the population it did 30 years ago. Is that growth unchecked, or just enough to cover the most vulnerable?
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Where to find help for Michigan seniors. A guide for navigating the maze
Michigan’s network of senior services can be hard to navigate. The first step is knowing who to call first.