September 15, 2026

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Hi Jodie,

This month’s newsletter highlighted reactions to Michigan’s rising vaccine exemption rates, including persistent concerns about the number and safety of childhood vaccines. The resources below can help you address these concerns and explain why Michigan continues to follow the childhood vaccine schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

We also have new resources around youth mental health following a landmark Meta settlement and Michigan’s “red flag” law following a recent gun tragedy in Missaukee County.

Download and share

Webinar: Rethinking vaccine communication

Flu, COVID-19, and RSV may share a season, but the conversations around them are very different. What does that mean for health messaging?

Join Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian and Jessica Malaty Rivera, Executive Director of the Infodemiology Initiative, on Monday, September 28 from 1-2 p.m. ET for a practical conversation about what we’re seeing this respiratory virus season and what health communicators can do differently. You’ll leave with five concrete ways to strengthen your vaccine communications this fall.

This webinar draws on new analysis from the Infodemiology Initiative, including a report developed in partnership with the Michigan Association for Local Public Health.

Survey reminder

We appreciate all the survey responses we’ve received so far. Every piece of feedback helps us improve the resources we provide. If you haven’t completed this survey yet, we just need five minutes of your time.

PGN spotlight

Michigan’s Extreme Risk Protection Order law can help prevent firearm suicides and other forms of gun violence, but residents may not know how the process works. This article from Public Good News walks through what happens when someone files an ERPO petition.

Public Good News is a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to community health. We partner with trusted local voices throughout the U.S. to distribute accurate, accessible, and inclusive health news in English and Spanish.

Visit the Download Center for ready-to-use resources around ERPOs, secure storage, and more.

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Thanks for reading,

The MI Health Communications Initiative team