In this episode of the Rural Insights Podcast, David Haynes sits down with James Haveman, President of Haveman Group and former Director of the Michigan Department of Community Health, along with serving in several other state and national health policy organizations.

Topics discussed include student mental health services at NMU, recruiting and placement of mental health workers at universities and the current shortage, details on the Michigan Healthy plan, and mental health care services for Michigan veterans.

Guest Bio
James K. Haveman continues to have a distinguished history of public service, management and volunteer work.

He was appointed on September 1,2012 by Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan as the Director of the Michigan Department of Community Health. He was chosen to drive the Governor’s aggressive health and wellness agenda forward- a critical piece for reinventing Michigan. Haveman retired from that position on September 12,2014. He previously served in this position from 1996-2003 and as the Department of Mental Health Director from 1991-1996. Haveman was appointed to both of these positions by Governor John Engler.

In 2003, he was appointed by the White House as the Coalition Provisional Authority Senior Advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of Health. He was Iraq’s Acting Minister of Heath for the first three months of his 11-month tenure. During this time he was also the Senior Health Advisor to Ambassador Paul Bremer.

Previously Haveman served as Executive Director of Bethany Christian Services, the largest child welfare/adoptive agency in the United States, Executive Director of the Kent County Community Mental Health Program and the Executive Director of Project Rehab, a substance abuse program that was located in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Haveman has received numerous awards and tributes, including the National Governors’ Association Distinguished Service Award in 1998 and the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service in 2004.

Haveman currently is President of the consulting firm, the Haveman Group. He is a Board member of the Grand Rapids Public Museum Foundation, Youngsoft Inc., and H2H Solutions. He serves as the Finance Chair of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s Foundation Board. In the past he has served on the Board of Ferris State University and Northern Michigan University.

A social worker by training, Haveman is a 1966 graduate of Calvin College. He earned his master’s degree in social work from Michigan State University. He is married to Barbara and they have two children and seven grandchildren.