College of Health and Human Services

The Michigan Academy of Physician Associates (MAPA) held its annual Fall Conference in October in Traverse City, drawing together students, alumni and faculty from WMU for a weekend filled with learning, competition and community service.

At the College of Health and Human Services DEI office, our passion for diversity is deeply embedded into our community. We prioritize inclusion and social justice in every aspect of our education, which includes our research and service programs. Our students, faculty and staff actively work together to create open dialogue and safe spaces so everyone in our community is seen and heard. In October 2024, the Department of Information Technology and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee in the College of Health and Human Services received the 2023-24 Excellence in Diversity Award.

Dr. Diane Dirette, a professor in the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences PhD Program at Western Michigan University, recently released her edited textbook, Human Occupation: Contemporary Concepts and Lifespan Perspectives, on September 17, 2024. This comprehensive resource offers students and practitioners in occupational therapy and occupational science an in-depth exploration of key concepts in human occupation. The textbook, international in scope, features chapters that include learning objectives, key terms, summary points, review questions and additional online resources. It serves as an essential guide for beginners in occupational therapy, clinicians seeking a practical reference, and occupational scientists needing insights into current occupation-related concepts.

Jeff Patton received his bachelors of Social Work in 1975 and then received his masters of Social Work with a concentration of policy planning and administration in 1978 from Western Michigan University. ​We asked Mr. Patton to share how his career has proven to be worth all the time, money and energy that he dedicated to his WMU education. This is his response: ​ “For 23 years, I have been given the honor and privilege to serve as the chief executive officer of Integrated services of Kalamazoo(ISK), which is the public mental health authority for Kalamazoo County, Michigan. This organization provides a wide array of mental health and substance use disorder specialty supports and services to 8,000 Kalamazoo county residents who are adults with serious mental illnesses, children and youth with serious emotional disturbances, people with co-occurring substance use disorders and people with an intellectual or developmental disability. In addition, ISK provides a welcoming and diverse community partnership which collaborates and shares effective resources that support individuals and families to be successful through all phases of life. This includes meaningful partnerships with Western Michigan University Center for Disability Services, Unified Clinics, College of Health and Human Services and Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D., School of Medicine.” ​