About the Theme

Together, we’ll build a vibrant culture of well-being, champion mental health, advance health equity, transform health education and care, and drive innovation that strengthens communities across Michigan and beyond.

Vision for the future

Advancing health, belonging, resilience, and human flourishing—together.

At the University of Michigan, we believe health and well-being are fundamental human rights. Period.

We also believe that our university is uniquely positioned to advance well-being locally, regionally, nationally, and globally.

Well-being is not just a marker of physical health—it is whole-person, holistic, and multifaceted. Well-being exists at the individual, family, team, and community levels. From access to high-quality healthcare and healthy lifestyle choices to a personal sense of belonging and resilience in a fair and equitable society and healthy safe environment, well-being is both highly individualized and community wide.

The Human Health and Well-being Theme Year is Michigan’s vision for the future. We will elevate existing well-being resources and create new ones to ensure our community is as vibrant as it can be. We will develop and share knowledge and ways of working and learning that prioritize well-being, belonging, and mattering in all forms and for all people. We will embed well-being in systems and policies across the university, from the top on down, as an example for other institutions and communities. We will pioneer innovation and technology in healthcare to meet the moment we are in.

We can only be the Leaders and Best when we feel our best. And we feel our best together.

Five Areas of Focus

Together, the five areas below form an integrated approach to advance human health and well-being through prevention, equity, partnership, and real-world impact.

They provide a shared framework to align strengths, guide collaboration across university units and disciplines, integrate well-being into leadership, planning, and decision-making, and build momentum that extends beyond the theme year.

  • A Vibrant, Health-Conscious Culture

    Make well-being a lived, everyday reality by elevating and connecting existing supports and resources, strengthening prevention-focused priorities (e.g., movement, sleep, nutrition, stress management, belonging), fostering psychological safety, and creating an environment where individuals and communities can flourish, contribute, and thrive.

    Use key moments and milestones throughout the academic year, such as orientation, major campaigns, awareness months, and signature events, to highlight and connect university well-being efforts to broader systems, community partnerships, and shared priorities.

  • Mental Health and Whole-Person Well-being

    Lead with prevention, access, and community care by fostering a culture where mental health and well-being are valued, supported, and openly discussed, expanding pathways to support for students, faculty, and staff, and reinforcing mental health as foundational to effective learning, work, and care delivery.

    Promote an integrated continuum of behavioral health care with access to services for the U-M community and communities across Michigan, while connecting cross-campus initiatives, addressing digital well-being, and encouraging healthy interaction with AI and its mental health implications.
    Empower individuals and communities with the knowledge, resources, and connections needed to build resilience, purpose, belonging, and lifelong well-being.

  • Health Equity and Community Well-being

    Advance opportunities for health and well-being by aligning U-M strengths with community-defined priorities across Michigan through listening and co-authoring.

    Elevate work on access and affordability of care, strengthen the conditions that support healthy and thriving communities, including food and housing security, environmental health, education, transportation, and social connection.

    Strengthen the university's role as a trusted source of evidence-based public health information for communities statewide, while advancing meaningful and measurable improvements in community well-being and health equity through shared metrics and accountability across units.

  • Interprofessional Health Science Education & Practice and the Healthcare Workforce of the Future

    Engage learners, practitioners, and health system partners across all campuses as co-creators to link education, practice, service, research, and community impact.

    Strengthen the university's leadership role in bridging interprofessional education and interprofessional practice, with clear metrics for improvement of learning and patient outcomes, population health, workforce engagement, quality, and safety.

    Partner interprofessionally with communities to improve care, expand opportunities for health and well-being, and address their most pressing healthcare challenges.

  • Innovation in Health Sciences Research, Healthcare Delivery,  and Health Technology & Policy

    Advance basic, translational, and applied research that generates new knowledge and translates discovery into trusted, real-world improvements to achieve innovative, equitable, accessible, and affordable advances in health and well-being.

    Engage campus and public audiences in responsible, science-informed innovation and decision-making, including the use of health-related AI.

  • A Vibrant, Health-Conscious Culture

    Make well-being a lived, everyday reality by elevating and connecting existing supports and resources, strengthening prevention-focused priorities (e.g., movement, sleep, nutrition, stress management, belonging), fostering psychological safety, and creating an environment where individuals and communities can flourish, contribute, and thrive.

    Use key moments and milestones throughout the academic year, such as orientation, major campaigns, awareness months, and signature events, to highlight and connect university well-being efforts to broader systems, community partnerships, and shared priorities.

  • Mental Health and Whole-Person Well-being

    Lead with prevention, access, and community care by fostering a culture where mental health and well-being are valued, supported, and openly discussed, expanding pathways to support for students, faculty, and staff, and reinforcing mental health as foundational to effective learning, work, and care delivery.

    Promote an integrated continuum of behavioral health care with access to services for the U-M community and communities across Michigan, while connecting cross-campus initiatives, addressing digital well-being, and encouraging healthy interaction with AI and its mental health implications.
    Empower individuals and communities with the knowledge, resources, and connections needed to build resilience, purpose, belonging, and lifelong well-being.

  • Health Equity and Community Well-being

    Advance opportunities for health and well-being by aligning U-M strengths with community-defined priorities across Michigan through listening and co-authoring.

    Elevate work on access and affordability of care, strengthen the conditions that support healthy and thriving communities, including food and housing security, environmental health, education, transportation, and social connection.

    Strengthen the university's role as a trusted source of evidence-based public health information for communities statewide, while advancing meaningful and measurable improvements in community well-being and health equity through shared metrics and accountability across units.

  • Interprofessional Health Science Education & Practice and the Healthcare Workforce of the Future

    Engage learners, practitioners, and health system partners across all campuses as co-creators to link education, practice, service, research, and community impact.

    Strengthen the university's leadership role in bridging interprofessional education and interprofessional practice, with clear metrics for improvement of learning and patient outcomes, population health, workforce engagement, quality, and safety.

    Partner interprofessionally with communities to improve care, expand opportunities for health and well-being, and address their most pressing healthcare challenges.

  • Innovation in Health Sciences Research, Healthcare Delivery,  and Health Technology & Policy

    Advance basic, translational, and applied research that generates new knowledge and translates discovery into trusted, real-world improvements to achieve innovative, equitable, accessible, and affordable advances in health and well-being.

    Engage campus and public audiences in responsible, science-informed innovation and decision-making, including the use of health-related AI.

Model of Well-being

At the University of Michigan, we believe health and well-being are fundamental human rights. Period.

We also believe that our university is uniquely positioned to advance well-being locally, regionally, nationally, and globally.

Well-being is not just a marker of physical health—it is whole-person, holistic, and multifaceted. Well-being exists at the individual, family, team, and community levels. From access to high-quality healthcare and healthy lifestyle choices to a personal sense of belonging and resilience in a fair and equitable society and healthy safe environment, well-being is both highly individualized and community wide.

The Human Health and Well-being Theme Year is Michigan’s vision for the future. We will elevate existing well-being resources and create new ones to ensure our community is as vibrant as it can be. We will develop and share knowledge and ways of working and learning that prioritize well-being, belonging, and mattering in all forms and for all people. We will embed well-being in systems and policies across the university, from the top on down, as an example for other institutions and communities. We will pioneer innovation and technology in healthcare to meet the moment we are in.

We can only be the Leaders and Best when we feel our best. And we feel our best together.

Our Team

The Human Health and Wellbeing is led and supported by a talented group of professionals, including:

Co-Leadership

  • Image of John Ayanian, MD, MPP

    John Ayanian, MD, MPP

    Alice Hamilton Distinguished University Professor of Medicine and Healthcare Policy Director

    Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation

  • Image of Robert Ernst, MD

    Robert Ernst, MD

    U-M Chief Health Officer

    Associate Vice President for Health and Wellness in Student Life

  • Image of Karen Schmidt, MPH

    Karen Schmidt, MPH

    Senior Director, MHealthy

    Health and Well-being Services

Staff

  • J. Alex Navarro, PhD

    Managing Director

    Senior Research Associate, Center for History, Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences & Ethics in Medicine