Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative (SWMJC) is a dynamic group of 12 partners representing media, educational or community organizations dedicated to strengthening local journalism. We support and enhance the news ecosystem in Southwest Michigan, to provide accurate and equitable coverage, and to promote diversity of voices among journalists and sources alike.

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Hatfield is looking around Kalamazoo County for affordability, hoping to stay in Kalamazoo Public Schools, without sacrificing too much in areas like safety. She scours Zillow and other websites to find homes for sale before they disappear. They often go quickly, she said. It’s a common tale in Kalamazoo County. Incomes have risen 19% since 2019 — but housing prices are up 46%. Finding housing that doesn’t break the bank used to be a problem for low-income folks. Now, even households with a decent salary are in a pinch.

LATEST STORIES

Megan & Molly - Covid Cohort
Pandemic restrictions, social isolation and missed opportunities for support in planning their futures, layered on top of the economic precariousness and social turmoil of recent years, left many in the Covid Cohort more emotionally uncertain and less prepared for adulthood than previous generations, professionals and parents say.
Music therapists use music to achieve non-musical, patient-specific goals, says Deanna Bush, instructor and coordinator of student clinical experiences in the WMU music therapy program. During a summer music improvisation class, surrounded by a selection of instruments ranging from beaded shakers to bongo-like tubanos, Bush instructed two students to depict an argument using miniature wooden xylophones. Afterward, the students discussed what they felt during the musical combat.
Patti Criswell - therapist interview
“Anxiety will take as much room as you give it,” says Patti Criswell, who has spent her career listening to and helping young people through mental health struggles. In a video produced by Public Media Network, Criswell offers advice for parents of anxious teens and gives young people tips for managing anxiety and depression.
Hatfield is looking around Kalamazoo County for affordability, hoping to stay in Kalamazoo Public Schools, without sacrificing too much in areas like safety. She scours Zillow and other websites to find homes for sale before they disappear. They often go quickly, she said. It’s a common tale in Kalamazoo County. Incomes have risen 19% since 2019 — but housing prices are up 46%. Finding housing that doesn’t break the bank used to be a problem for low-income folks. Now, even households with a decent salary are in a pinch.

COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS

The Mental Wellness Project

SWMJC inaugural collaborative reporting project focused on mental health in Southwest Michigan. The goal of this project is to shed light on the key issues impacting access to mental health services. This project was funded by Solutions Journalism Network.

Youth Mental Health

In early 2024, SWMJC was awarded a collaborative reporting grant by Solutions Journalism Network to focus on youth mental health. With the U.S. General Surgeon’s recent report on the increased urgency to address youth mental health, this project highlights current solutions.

Equitable Community Development

This collaborative reporting project is focused on economic and community development issues in Southwest Michigan.

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