The MHA announced the winners of its 2026 Ludwig Community Benefit Award during the association’s Annual Membership Meeting June 25. The honorees include programs supported by Covenant HealthCare, Saginaw; McKenzie Health System, Sandusky; and Munson Medical Center, Traverse City. The award is named in memory of Patric E. Ludwig, a former MHA president who championed investing in the community’s overall health. The award is presented to member organizations integrally involved in collaborative programs to improve the health and well-being of Michigan residents. Each winner will receive $5,000 from the MHA Health Foundation to reinvest in their programs.
Covenant HealthCare’s Extraordinary Neighbors Program is a community development initiative focused on improving housing conditions in neighborhoods surrounding its Saginaw campus. The program addresses housing insecurity as a key social determinant of health in an area where many homes are more than 100 years old and residents often face high housing cost burdens.
Through partnerships with local organizations and state agencies, Covenant has supported the construction of new homes and renovation of existing properties, helping stabilize neighborhoods impacted by long-term disinvestment. The health system has also implemented innovative solutions such as direct down payment assistance for employees to promote housing affordability.
With a $2.5 million investment and a collaborative governance model that includes community residents, the program is advancing a long-term vision for neighborhood revitalization and improved health outcomes.
McKenzie Health System launched the Peace of Mind Clinic in 2024 to expand access to behavioral health services in rural Sanilac County, where residents previously had limited access to psychiatric care.
The clinic provides psychiatric evaluation and medication management for patients of all ages, addressing conditions such as anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. Since opening, it has served hundreds of patients from more than 40 rural communities, improving access to care close to home.
The program was developed through internal workforce investment and close coordination with community mental health partners to ensure services complemented existing resources. Early results include strong patient engagement and a reduction in hospital encounters for behavioral health conditions.
Munson Medical Center’s Grand Traverse Mental Health Crisis and Access Center provides a centralized, 24/7 resource for individuals experiencing mental health crises across northern Michigan.
The center offers crisis intervention, psychiatric urgent care, mobile response and connections to ongoing treatment, helping reduce reliance on emergency departments and improve coordination across the behavioral health continuum.
Developed through broad community collaboration, the program has already served individuals from across multiple counties, with most crises resolved on-site without requiring hospitalization. The initiative bolstered by the partnership between Munson Healthcare, Northern Lakes Community Mental Health Authority, Grand Traverse County, United Way of Northwest Michigan and the Northwest Community Health Innovation Region, represents a scalable model for integrated crisis care and improved access to behavioral health services.
To learn more about the MHA’s annual Ludwig Community Benefit Award, contact Erin Steward at the MHA.