Michigan Health Association Advances Workplace Violence Prevention and Maternal Safety Initiatives

The MHA is hosting two upcoming events that provide resources and insights on workplace violence in healthcare. The MHA Keystone Center Board of Directors met Feb. 4 to review strategic priorities and key initiatives aligned with the 2025-26 MHA Strategic Action Plan.

The MHA Keystone Center will host the webinar, The Four Myths of Workplace Violence and the Aggression Cycle You Can't Afford to Ignore, March 4 from 11 a.m. – noon ET. The webinar is open to MHA members and nonmembers, healthcare professionals and leaders, security personnel, and others responsible for creating a safe, empathetic and resilient workplace culture.

At the 2026 MHA HR Conference, held March 24 at the Crowne Plaza Lansing, MHA members will participate in a panel discussion on workplace violence as a continuing challenge across healthcare settings that impacts employee safety, well-being and retention. The panel will highlight real-world strategies for preventing, responding to and recovering from incidents of workplace violence. Panelists will highlight successful initiatives, including policy development, staff training, reporting and response protocols, and collaboration between security and clinical teams. Registration for the HR Conference is $259 and members can register online by March 11.

Through an equipment grant distributed by the MHA Keystone Center with funding support from UnitedHealthcare, MyMichigan Health is strengthening hands-on learning to improve readiness for rare but life-threatening maternal emergencies. Using MamaBirthie simulators provided through the grant, MyMichigan Health recently partnered with Maternal 911 to host a training focused on responding to Amniotic Fluid Embolism (AFE). The session brought together nurses, midwives and physicians from its Midland and Alma birthing units to practice rapid, coordinated response strategies, including an OB zone approach that clarifies team roles to ensure critical steps are not missed during high-risk events.

"These simulations give us the chance to practice responding to uncommon complications we hope never happen, but need to be prepared for," said the system nursing director of maternal child and women's health at MyMichigan Health. "Having the equipment and time to train together builds confidence and helps us respond quicker when every second matters when an emergency arises."

The MHA Keystone Center works alongside the Michigan Alliance for Innovation (MI AIM) on Maternal Health to equip Michigan birthing hospitals with practical tools that strengthen clinical readiness, build confident care teams and improve outcomes for mothers and babies across Michigan.

During the strategic conversation at the Feb. 4 board meeting, the board provided input to help guide priorities under the Strategic Action Plan. The discussion included an overview of the MHA Keystone Patient Safety Organization, followed by a maternal health update highlighting current initiatives and areas for continued focus. Board members reflected on the organization's work and the ongoing efforts to support hospitals in addressing violence in healthcare settings.