Programs

  • Local Ombudsman Contracts

    Under contracts with Tri-County Office on Aging and Region 2 Area Agency on Aging, MEJI houses the local long term care ombudsman program for Ingham, Eaton, Clinton, Jackson, Hillsdale, and Lenawee Counties.

    The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program was created to help address the quality of care and quality of life of residents of licensed long term care facilities (nursing facilities, homes for the aged, and adult foster care). It works to improve the long term care system, to represent residents, and to monitor the development of federal, state, and local laws, regulations and policies. The Ombudsman Program is authorized in the Older Americans Act and the Older Michiganians Act.

  • The Advocates’ Guide to the MI Health Link Program

    With funding from the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition, MEJI created the on-line Advocates’ Guide to the MI Health Link program. The Advocates’ Guide helps advocates, consumers, and service providers navigate the new program and continues to be updated as MI Health Link evolves.

    The most up-to-date version of the guide can be viewed here. 

  • Elder Abuse Prevention Grant

    MEJI writes and distributes "Excellence in Caregiving," a newsletter for direct care workers.  The newsletter provides information on preventing elder abuse through promoting quality caregiving and person-centered care.  Topics include reporting elder abuse, emotional abuse, financial exploitation, misuse of social media, the intersection of loneliness and abuse, and other topics. Read the most current newsletter here.  For past editions of the newsletter, please go to this link.

    MEJI also offers free 2 hour, 4 hour, and 7 hour trainings on the recognition, reporting, and prevention of elder abuse in nursing homes, adult foster care homes, homes for the aged, and home care.  Each training addresses the same core topics with the opportunity to expand on different sections in the 4 hour and 7 hour training options.  These trainings are interactive and fun and have consistently received high marks from participants.  In addition to offering great information, the training is designed to promote team buildng and comradery.  Over 1,000 people who work in long term supports and services have participated in one of these training options. If you are interested in offering or attending one of these trainings, please contact tcordes@meji.org.

    The Elder Abuse Prevention Grant is funded by the State of Michigan through the Aging and Adult Services Agency and the Tri-County Aging Consortium (Tri-County Office on Aging).

  • MI Health Link Ombudsman

    The MI Health Link Ombudsman (MHLO) serves as an advocate and problem-solver for beneficiaries enrolled in MI Health Link. All of our services are free, and we keep all beneficiary information confidential.  We can:

    • Answer questions about MI Health Link
    • Help solve problems with care, services, and benefits
    • Connect beneficiaries to other resources
    • Assist with grievances and appeals, and
    • File complaints 

    We also work with health plans, Pre-Paid Inpatient Health Plans (that offer behavioral health services), the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and the federal government to spot issues, identify best practices, and offer solutions that will help make the MI Health Link program work better for beneficiaries.

    MHLO is a project of the Michigan Elder Justice Initiative and our partners at the Counsel and Advocacy Law Line, two free legal services programs for low income Michiganians. We provide most of our assistance to beneficiaries through both a toll-free hotline and through email responses to questions and problems.

    Read more about the MI Health Link Ombudsman here.

    Download the MI Health Link brochure here.

    The MHLO is funded by a grant from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

  • Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (MLTCOP)

    Since October 1, 2016, the Michigan Elder Justice Initiative has been honored to serve as the home of the Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (MLTCOP). The MLTCOP advocates on behalf of more than 100,000 residents of nursing homes, homes for the aged, and adult foster care facilities.  The program both oversees the work of 20 local long term care ombudsman who work directly with residents in need of assistance across the state and engages in systemic advocacy to promote the rights and dignity of long term care consumers.   To request the assistance of a long term care ombudsman, call 1-866-485-9393 toll-free.  For more information about the MLTCOP, please call 517-827-8010 or visit our website, mltcop.org.

  • Crime Victims Legal Assistance Project - Elder Justice (CVLAP-EJ)

    Under a grant from the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), MEJI helps support and works closely with a new program to provide free civil legal assistance to victims of elder abuse.  The Crime Victims Legal Assistance Project -- Elder Justice has a staff of 10 lawyers who are housed in local legal services offices.  These advocates provide a broad array of legal services to promote older adults’ safety, security, and dignity including obtaining protection orders, connecting older adults to public benefits and services, seeking to recover funds and property lost as the result of fraud or exploitation, challenging negligent or abusive guardians, evicting abusers who live with their victims, and addressing abuse in institutions. Clients age 55 and older may receive help whether or not the abuse, neglect or exploitation they suffered was reported to the police or resulted in criminal prosecution.  For more information on the project, please contact Managing Attorney Emily Miller at 734-998-6100 x 622.

  • Metro Health Foundation

    With funding from the Metro Health Foundation, MEJI created Barriers to Accessing Home and Comminuty-Based Services: Recommendations for Systemic Changes, to analyze barriers to accessing home and community-based services in Detroit.  Please click here to access the booklet.