Great Lakes Wire

Brianna Foley, a Research Assistant at the Center for Precision Public Health, has been honored with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' (MDHHS) 2024 Collaborative Partner of the Year award. This accolade is given to individuals who demonstrate exceptional ability in building interagency capacity and partnerships at state or community levels, collaborating effectively with MDHHS and Substance Use, Gambling and Epidemiology (SUGE) to achieve strategic objectives.

Foley holds a bachelor's degree in political science obtained in 2020 and a master's degree in public policy from 2021, both from Michigan State University. Her expertise spans behavioral health, social inequalities, policymaking, and evaluation.

Her recognition as an invaluable partner by MDHHS stems from her role in organizing and facilitating the Michigan Prevention Data System (MPDS) over several years. The MPDS serves as a staff activity reporting system that gathers data on programs offered and recipient information. Foley was acknowledged for her prompt response to system issues or prevention provider needs via email, guiding all MPDS users through an annual close-out process, and coordinating system action items with the MPHI team. Furthermore, she led efforts to review and update the MPDS User Manual while creating a companion manual for Prepaid Inpatient Health Plan (PIHP) staff. Her contributions have ensured smooth operation of the MPDS while fostering collaborative relationships among colleagues.

“I am so honored that I was thought of to receive the Collaborative Partner of the Year Award! Working with MDHHS has always been such a great experience and I know that the work we do together will make a meaningful impact on the community,” expressed Foley.

For further details about MDHHS SUGE initiatives: Substance Use, Gambling and Epidemiology (michigan.gov).