The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says there are now more than a thousand registered doulas in Michigan. That includes 700 doulas who take Medicaid.

Doulas are trained non-medical professionals who provide birth assistance, including emotional and physical support, and help families navigate the birthing experience. 

Dawn Shanafelt is the Director of the Division of Maternal & Infant Health for MDHHS. She says the state has surpassed its goal of registering 500 doulas through the Doula Registry by 2028, doubling that number as of last week. 

“What’s next for the program is to continue to support our existing doulas that are part of the registry. So the one thousand plus doulas. And then we are really focusing on enrollment and recruitment of doulas in areas where the number of doulas that are available for families is lower, and then also for special populations.”

Shanafelt says that includes populations that speak a language other than English, Indigenous populations, and teenage parents.  

She says having doula-assisted births reduces birth complications and medical interventions, shortens the duration of labor, and increases breastfeeding support. Babies also tend to have healthier birth weights.  

Additional headlines for Monday, November 24, 2025

MDHHS launches more On-the-Go food pantries

MDHHS has added a mobile food distribution site in Hamtramck, partnering with Forgotten Harvest.

The On-the-Go popup pantry will provide food pick-up for people who schedule appointments. There are options for fresh produce and grains and culturally appropriate foods such as halal or kosher options.

MDHHS says they will select and offer similar mobile food pantry options in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties every month. The next one in Hamtramck will be held tomorrow Tuesday, Nov. 26 at the MDHHS office located at 12140 Jos Campau St. in Hamtramck.

People can make an appointment by emailing MDHHS-FH-WC-Hamtramck@michigan.gov.  Dial 211 or visit mi211.org online for free referrals to food pantries.  

Entry Points artist residency program wins award

A Hamtramck-based artist residency program is receiving a $175,000 award.

Entry Points is a program which offers housing and studio space for returning citizens who were formerly incarcerated juveniles. The nonprofit is receiving the 2025 J.M.K Innovation Award. The award is given by the J.M. Kaplan Fund to 10 awardees for their work in tackling social justice, environmental conservation, and heritage preservation.  

Entry Points was created by artist-activist Jonathan Rajewski and writer and former juvenile lifer Kyle Daniel-Bey through Hamtramk Free School, an alternative educational organization that facilitates creative writing and art workshops in Michigan prisons, working with juveniles who were sentenced to life without parole.   

Entry Points helps returning citizens reintegrate into public life, including presenting their work publicly.  

EGLE awards grants to limit runoff

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is awarding $2.9 million to several groups to reduce pollution in waterways.

The Nonpoint Source Program grants will fund eight projects aimed at eliminating runoff at nonpoint sources which come from farms, urban areas and construction sites.

This occurs when there is rain, snowmelt, or when the wind carries pollutants into waterways. The grants will help repair waterways to reduce sediment, nutrients, and bacteria.  

If there is something happening in your neighborhood that you think we should know about, drop us a line at DetroitEveningReport@wdet.org.

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The March of Dimes says Detroit has the most premature births among the 100 U.S. cities with the highest birth rates. The study found 1 in 6 babies in Detroit are born before the 37th week of gestation.

The organization points to high rates of chronic illness as one of the reasons for that high rate, as well as disparities in healthcare for Black people.

This summer, the National Institutes of Health canceled a study of premature births in Detroit as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.  

Additional headlines from Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Wayne County wrongful convictions

A new report released by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office details ways it can avoid wrongful convictions. 
The study specifically looks at the case of Eric Anderson—a Detroit man convicted of robbery in 2010 who was wrongfully imprisoned for nine years.

The report was conducted through the Wayne County Sentinel Event Review Team which is made up of law enforcement, judges and innocence projects at Michigan State and the University of Pennsylvania.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy says the investigation was successful because it sought to find ways to avoid wrongful prosecutions, not hold anyone accountable. 

“This process was not a process that assigned and assessed blame or finger pointing. It was very important to me and I think everybody that that be done, so we can have honest discussions and have honest recommendations and honest vehicles to make these changes.”

The report lists 25 ways for police, prosecutors and judges to improve, including reducing reliance on a single eye-witness and improving funding for public defenders.

So far, 43 people have been released from prison based on the efforts of the Wayne County Sentinel Event Review Team, most of whom were sentenced to mandatory life sentences.  

Riverwalk construction

Part of the Riverwalk between Beaubien and Rivard will be closed Thursday through the spring for utility improvements on 1-375. Pedestrians and cyclists wit be rerouted to Atwater Street until mid-December. After that, they will be directed to Franklin Street.

The Michigan Department of Transportation says a new storm sewer along Schweizer Place down to the river is being installed. MDOT says the updates will support cleaner water being discharged into the Detroit River and relieve pressure on the city’s sewer system. 

Thanksgiving food collection

Midtown coffeeshop Simply Roasted and Mindful Bakery Yumaste are partnering with Gleaners to collect food ahead of Thanksgiving.

They invite the community to drop off unexpired and non-perishable food items at 4240 Cass Avenue through Thanksgiving Day. Canned chicken, tuna, beans, soups, vegetables and fruits as well as oatmeal and cereals are especially needed.

For information on how to give, other organizations collecting food and food distributions visit gcfb.org. 

Train party

Carbon Athletic Club is hosting its annual Holiday Train Party Saturday.

The CPKC Holiday Train starts its 27^th annual trek through Canada and the U.S. Wednesday and makes a stop in Windsor Saturday before passing through Detroit.

The Windsor event will feature live performances by Smash Mouth and JJ Wilde. The train does not stop in Detroit but is expected to roll by the Carbon Athletic Club sometime between 6 and 11 p.m. on Nov. 22.

The Carbon Athletic Club is a members-only social club founded in the Delray neighborhood in 1947. The Holiday Train Party is its biggest fundraiser of the year. Tickets are $10 and available at carbonathleticclub.com or at the door. 

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