Added on May 6, 2019  Sara Swanson

County expanding mental health services into Manchester

In November 2017, Manchester, along with the rest of the county, voted on a 8-year Public Safety and Mental Health Millage. It passed. Resources from the millage became available on January 1, 2019.

After the millage passed, the county quickly put together a committee to make recommendations on how to best use the millage to address mental health needs. Among other things, the committee held a series of community conversations, (the closest to us was held in Chelsea) to gather input on community mental health needs and to identify evidence-based practices that would address them. One of the recommendations approved was an expansion of services to rural areas of the county, including Manchester, as well as Chelsea and Dexter.

Lisa Gentz, licensed master social worker and administrator in charge of the Mental Health Public Safety Millage, explained how the decision to expand services into Manchester was made. She stated that the goal of the expansion is  “to provide mental health services to traditionally underserved areas of Washtenaw County” and added that “Manchester has been identified as a traditionally underserved location in Washtenaw County.”

Gentz explained that as of May 1st, Washtenaw County Community Mental Health (WCCMH) is providing mental health services for the uninsured, underinsured, and (regardless of insurance) people who have waitlists to access care, and for crisis situations. The services include counseling, psychiatry, case management, crisis services, peer support, and outpatient addiction treatment. The county has hired a social worker specifically for the western region of the county to provide the case management services and assist with coordinating all care needs.

While services are available now and can be accessed by calling 734-544-3050 to set up an appointment, what the Manchester schedule will be and where the location for services in Manchester will be has not been set yet. However, the WCCMH has mobile capability (can come to residents) and tele-psychiatry, so will be able to see individuals in the meantime in the environment that works best for them. Gentz stated, “We are currently seeking memos of understanding with community-based organizations with the intent of providing services through partnerships instead of investing millage dollars on bricks and mortar. Once we have agreements in place, we will announce our locations and schedules.”

Even though someone may have insurance that covers mental health services, sometimes barriers exist to prevent people from accessing their mental health service benefits. These barriers can include, for example, lack of transportation or inability to take time off from work. Gentz explained that in this situation, WCCMH will “initiate care, stabilize an individual’s situation, remove access to care barriers and then transition them to a longer term community resource when either one becomes available and/or the person is stable to transition.” 

Someone acutely aware of the barriers that exist preventing residents in Manchester from accessing mental health care they need is Kathy Walz. Starting in the fall of 2016, she has been coming to Manchester every Tuesday afternoon and meeting with residents at the Community Resource Center. Walz, a licensed master social worker, serves as a behavioral health navigator for St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital and helps connect residents in need of mental health services with the resources to meet their individual needs. To connect with Walz and access behavioral health navigator services, call 734-680-5312.

Walz serves in this role in all 5 Healthy Towns communities of Manchester Stockbridge, Grass Lake, Chelsea and Dexter. She finds that lack of transportation is a barrier in Manchester, Grass Lake and Stockbridge, the more rural areas with limited or no mental health providers located in the communities. She finds stigma and the wait times are also barriers, but explains that wait time to get into a provider is only an issue because people are waiting until they are in crisis to seek help. “We don’t see it coming, just going along until it becomes a crisis,” she stated. If someone needs help and seeks it early, a two-week wait time is manageable, but if someone waits until they are in crisis, a two-week wait time is too long.

Walz sees mental health education and reducing the stigma of seeking mental health help as ways to help with the wait time issue. But for those who are suffering while waiting to get in to see a provider, and anyone in need of it, Walz is there. She views her job as walking with people to where they need to go. “Seeing them individually, calling them to do check-ins, whatever care they need,” she stated.

When asked what the mental health need in Manchester is, Walz cited the National Institute for Mental Health’s most recent assessment that 1 in 5 people need help with mental illness. Based on the 2016 census, that is 429 people just in the Village of Manchester alone. Manchester may have a higher percentage of people in need of help than that, as a 2015 study showed that at least 40% of Manchester’s adults suffer from poor mental health, higher than surrounding communities and Washtenaw County as whole, and also higher than the national average.

Walz helps residents set up appointments with whatever mental health providers will meet their needs the best. She often refers residents to the WCCMH and tends to reach out to them to for help finding solutions. Walz stated, “It used to be that I would have to send them to Ypsi, but now it can be done right here.” She stated, “It is good to know the county is going to be [in Manchester] too… the more resources, the better!”

When Walz started in her position two and a half years ago, Laura Seyfried of the Community Resource Center helped ease her into the community. Walz intends to similarly ease the way for the county into the community. Gentz said of Walz, “She is assisting us with making community connections.” Walz has already met the newly hired WCCMH staff member and her supervisor.

Walz feels strongly that we are experiencing a mental health crisis and the responsibility for solving it falls on all of us.

“The mental health need continues to get greater, we all need to look at this collectively,” she stated. “We need a community solution.” She pointed out that the county is expanding mental health services out to Manchester because the need for services was communicated during a community forum. “Even though we had services, we needed more support. Washtenaw County heard us,” she said. She wants everyone to continue to use their voice and share their ideas, whether it is to her or to the county.

“We all have a collective responsibility to look at this issue,” she concluded.