As the League’s newest analyst with a focus on the social determinants of health, I’ve been thinking a lot about my own health and how it’s affected by the larger world in which I live. The social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and include things like environment, nutrition and income.
I took my health for granted until I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and prescribed medication that retails for $1,400 per month. Fortunately, I have health insurance so my medication is affordable. My disease is mostly under control and I enjoy a high quality of life, which I attribute to the fact that I’m in a position to make many choices every day that allow me to maintain good health.
Because individual behavior drives much of a person’s health status, it’s easy to blame unhealthy people for failing to make the “right” choices. However, this perspective ignores that the ability to exercise choice and make healthy decisions varies drastically from person to person, often due to broader forces beyond the control of any individual.
Many social determinants of health are closely connected to household income. Financial hardship directly prevents people from obtaining high-quality medical care, and getting and staying healthy can be costly and time-consuming in ways that disproportionately affect families that are struggling to get by.
I’m fortunate to have an employer that offers paid leave time so I don’t have to worry about losing wages due to my illness. Living in a city, I’m not too concerned about a shortage of healthcare providers. As a well-educated, white, thin person, I’m not worried that my providers harbor implicit biases affecting the quality of the care I receive. I have a reliable car so I can easily get to medical appointments and the grocery store.
Since my diagnosis, I cook almost everything from scratch. This would be impossible without access to the fresh, healthy food available at a full-service grocery store. My parents cooked regularly when I was growing up and they taught me the basics. Even with these advantages, it’s a lot of work. If I were working multiple jobs to make ends meet, I wouldn’t have the time to cook for myself and my family in this way.
I’ve never had a problem finding safe, affordable housing or had to risk my life to keep warm. As a white person who grew up in a nearly all-white town, I’ve never worried that economic structures and social institutions shaped by years of systemic racism have literally made me sick.
Poet John Donne wrote, “No man is an island.” This is especially true when it comes to health. Our well-being is intertwined with our social connections, and virtually every aspect of public policy has health implications. In a country founded on the notion of equality of opportunity, no child should be born with his or her health destiny already written in stone.
Through our policy work, the League aims to remove systemic barriers so that all Michiganians have the freedom to choose good health. Be sure to check the blog periodically as I explore the specific social determinants of health and highlight the programs and policy solutions that can empower all people to enjoy a long, healthy life.
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Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Jacob Kaplan 
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
