Professional Relationships

Hope Network and Michigan Colleges
Hope Network Rehabilitation Services and a variety of Michigan universities have contracts for student internships and rotations.

Most notable is the formal relationship established between Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine and College of Osteopathic Medicine located in Grand Rapids, which identifies Hope Network Rehabilitation Services as a teaching facility where medical students conduct their third-year rotation in psychiatric medicine.

Hope Network and the Western Michigan Brain Injury Network
The Western Michigan Brain Injury Network (WMBIN) is a formal relationship between Hope Network Rehabilitation Services, Mary Free Bed, and Spectrum Health Continuing Care. WMBIN provides comprehensive, coordinated rehabilitation services to people with brain injuries. These three agencies, each highly experienced in brain injury rehabilitation, have differentiated areas of specialty and partner together to serve people with brain injuries at any stage in their recovery process.

Hope Network and Project SEARCH
Hope Network Rehabilitation Services, Fifth-Third Bank, Spectrum Health, and Grand Rapids Public Schools partner together to offer “Project SEARCH,” an-employer based internship program designed specifically for high school students and adults with disabilities. Students participating in this program are primarily completing their senior year. Fifth-Third Bank and Spectrum Health provide internship rotations at their organizations, while Hope Network provides professional job coaches who assist participants with performance, social skills, work adaptations, and employer communication. Graduates of Project SEARCH gain transferable job skills that they can utilize to pursue employment in the community after graduation.

Hope Network and Kentwood Parks and Recreation
Hope Network's Therapeutic Recreation Department is a cooperative partner with The Kentwood Parks & Recreation Department in providing quality programming for persons with a Traumatic Brain Injury or other neurological/physical impairment in and around Kentwood, Michigan. Programs include bowling leagues, golf leagues, bocce leagues, and archery leagues.

Hope Network and the Michigan Brain Injury Provider’s Council
Margaret Kroese, Vice President/Executive Director of Hope Network Rehabilitation Services, serves as the Vice President and Government Relations Chairperson for the Michigan Brain Injury Provider’s Council. The Michigan Brain Injury Provider Council’s purpose is to enhance the ability of its members to provide high quality, ethical rehabilitation, health care, and related services to people with a brain injury. This is accomplished through resource sharing and information exchange, professional development and education, promotion of beneficial legislation, advocacy for brain injury services, and support of the Brain Injury Association of Michigan.

Hope Network and the Coalition Protecting Auto No-Fault (CPAN)
Margaret Kroese, Vice President/Executive Director for Hope Network Rehabilitation Services, is on the Executive Committee of the Coalition Protecting Auto No-Fault (CPAN), which advocates for protecting the rights of the severely injured individuals to receive the health care they need to regain independence through Michigan’s auto no-fault system.

Hope Network and Spectrum Health
Hope Network Rehabilitation Services has a joint venture with Spectrum Health Systems that allowed both organizations to expand into the East Lansing area beginning in 1996. The Board of the Hope/Spectrum Corporation provides governance over the East Lansing campus. Phil Weaver, President of Hope Network, Dan Holbert, CFO of Hope Network, Jeff Mislevy, Vice President of Spectrum Health Continuing Care’s Long Term and Residential Services, and Mark Guzicki, Vice President of Spectrum Health’s Community- and Home-Based Services are all executives on the Board of Directors for this joint venture.

Hope Network and the Lansing Area Aphasia Support Group
Together, three Speech Language Pathologists; Saralyn Rubsam from Hope Network Rehabilitation Services in East Lansing, Brooke Frommeyer, SLP from Sparrow Hospital, and Katie Strong, SLP/professor from MSU, coordinate and lead the Lansing Area Aphasia Support Group. Aphasia is the loss of ability to produce and/or comprehend language, which is often a result of traumatic injury, stroke, or other damage to the neurologic system. These three therapists utilize experience from their unique professional roles to help people with aphasia, their family members, caregivers, and other professionals by providing an opportunity to discuss and support one another through monthly meetings located at Hope Network in East Lansing.

Hope Network and the Department of Natural Resources Accessibility Advisory Council
Scott Fletcher, OTRS, on behalf of Hope Network, serves on the DNR’s Accessibility Advisory Council to provide advice and guidance concerning Michigan’s natural resources and people with disabilities. The Advisory Council ensures that everyone in Michigan has equal access to the many outdoor opportunities that this state has to offer.

Hope Network and Steelcase
Hope Network and Steelcase, Inc partner together to provide a supported work setting specifically developed for people with disabilities. Known as the Steelcase Enclave, employees produce a variety of product samples for Steelcase sales teams that are also featured in Steelcase show rooms. Hope Network provides professional job coaches, transportation, specialized job training, and assistive technologies on-site; allowing participants the opportunity to perform productive and meaningful work safely and successfully.