Flint, MI— The Genesee Health System is seeking community input on how to spend $9.4 million in mental health millage funds.
Residents passed the millage, along with four others, during a special election in May. The 10-year millage, which is $0.94 per $1,000 of a property’s assessed value, is aimed at improving mental health services in the county.
According to GHS’s website, the funds will be used in seven critical areas which include law enforcement mental health response teams, court mental health services, suicide and crisis prevention, and crisis de-escalation in the K-12 community.
Around $3.7 million of the money will provide crisis intervention training to police officers and will also create a “co-response” partnership between Genesee Health System and local departments. This will allow mental health professionals to accompany officers on 911 calls where they can assess the individual for treatment and provide safe crisis de-escalation.
“We know that Genesee County, along with many communities, is contending with a multitude of stressors. Locally it includes the pandemic, aftereffects from the water crisis, violence, and other concerns that have exposed our community to emotional trauma and stress,” Danis Russell, CEO of GHS, said. “We have the mental health expertise to help our community and want to ensure that we focus the new millage monies in the best way possible to meet the needs of individuals and families in our area. To best do so, we are asking the community for their input and insight.”
GHS is holding three in-person events and one virtual event to receive community input.
- Wednesday, Nov. 3 at the Clio Area Senior Center, 2136 W. Vienna Rd., Clio, MI, from 6:30–8:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, Nov. 10 at the Grand Blanc Senior Activity Center, 2632 Pagels Dr., Grand Blanc, MI from 6:30–8:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, Nov. 17 at the House of Prayer Missionary Baptist Church, 1851 W. Carpenter Rd., Flint, MI from 6:30–8:00 p.m.
The virtual meeting will take place via Zoom on Nov. 18 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Those who wish to attend can register here.
For those who cannot attend any of the scheduled times, a survey is available online.
The programs supported by the milage will begin in early 2022.