ACMH Twitter ACMH Facebook ACMH YouTube
  • About
  • News
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Membership
Login Log Out

ACMH

ACMH

Phone: 517 372-4016

Parent Line: (888) ACMH-KID (226-4543)

  • Home
  • Get Help
    • Accessing Mental Health Services For My Child
    • Understanding my Child’s Mental Health Challenges
    • Collaborating with the Professionals Working with My Family
    • Navigating
      • Problems at School
      • Navigating the Juvenile Justice System
      • Navigating the Child Welfare System
      • The Mental Health System
    • Finding Resources for Housing, Employment, Childcare, Healthcare and Other Family Supports such as SSI/SSDI
      • Housing
      • Employment
      • Childcare
      • Free or Low Cost Medications
      • Health Care Coverage
    • Military Family Support
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Get Information
    • Children’s Mental Health 101
      • I Am Worried About My Child’s Mental Health
      • Possible Red Flags
      • Who can help
      • How to Access Mental Health Services and Supports
      • I Just Found Out My Child Has a Mental Health Disorder
      • Common Diagnosis
      • Treatments & Supports
      • Questions to Ask About Treatment
      • How to be Actively Involved in Your Child’s Treatment
      • What to Expect
      • When Accessing Mental Health Services Using Public Mental Health
      • When Accessing Mental Health Services Using Private Insurance
      • What to Expect if Your Child is in Crisis
      • Mental Health by Age & Stage
      • Additional Children’s Mental Health Resources
    • Ask the Expert
    • ACMH Projects
      • Parent Support Partner
      • Youth Peer Support
      • Family Action Partnership
      • Statewide Family Network
      • Other Projects & Collaborations
    • For Community Agencies
    • Child and Family Services
      • Public Mental Health
      • Juvenile Justice
      • Child Welfare
      • Education
    • Training Opportunities & Calendar
      • ACMH Trainings
      • Community Partner Trainings
      • Youth Mental Health First Aid
      • Youth Peer Support Project
      • Webinars
      • Parent Support Partner (PSP) Training Calendar
      • ACMH Staff Portal
  • Get Support
    • Support for You
    • Family Stories
    • The Manual
    • Online Discussions
    • Find Support in Your Local Community
    • Help To Create a Local Parent Support Group
  • Get Involved
    • Importance of Family Voice in Creating Effective Services & Supports
      • Family Driven
      • Youth Guided
    • Share Your Story
    • Family Leadership Opportunities – Share Your Voice!
      • Parent Leadership Opportunities
  • Youth Page
    • Youth Blog
  • Contact

About

Welcome! If you are a parent of a child who struggles with emotional, behavioral or mental health challenges, ACMH exists to help you!

The Association for Children’s Mental Health was founded in 1989 by two mothers who worked tirelessly to bring help and hope to other families by empowering them with information, support and encouraging the development of strong family member/ professional collaborative relationships. They also offered networking and leadership opportunities and worked to ensure that family voice was listened to and valued. All of their efforts were targeted at ensuring that all kids with mental health challenges and their families had access to the services and supports they needed and ACMH has been working tirelessly to carry out their legacy ever since!

ACMH has continued their tradition for over 30 years providing family-to-family support, education, information, advocacy, networking and leadership opportunities in an effort to empower families with the information, knowledge and skills needed to successfully access the services and supports their children need.

ACMH exists to bring help and hope to families of Michigan children and youth with severe emotional, behavioral and mental health disorders.

ACMH’s Mission

To ensure All Michigan children and youth with emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges and their families live in a safe, welcoming community with access to needed services and supports.

Who we are:

  • Family ~ almost all of ACMH’s staff are family members who themselves have navigated the mental health and other family service systems for their own children with mental health challenges.
  • The Premier Voice of Advocacy for children & youth with mental health challenges and their families!
  • The statewide Training & Coordinating Partner for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Service’s Parent Support Partner and Youth Peer Support Projects.
  • A statewide and community partner to child & family serving systems; working to improve services and supports to the families we serve and ensure that family voice continues to be key in systems change efforts!
  • Michigan’s federally funded Statewide Family Network funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA) to provide support to families of children with mental health challenges.

  • MI’s Chapter of the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health

What we do:

ACMH Events & Activities

The Association for Children’s Mental Health, ACMH, is a statewide, non-profit family organization dedicated to meeting the needs of families of children and youth with serious emotional, behavioral or mental health challenges. ACMH provides the following services to families and community partners across Michigan:

  • Parent-to-Parent Support
  • Education, Networking & Leadership Opportunities including an annual conference, regional training, leadership camps and other special events
  • Information Dissemination, Referral, Outreach and Systems Advocacy
  • Family Support Groups, Assistance & Advocacy
  • Youth Involvement & Leadership Opportunities

What we believe:

We believe that families are the true ‘expert’ about their children’s mental health needs and the treatment and supports will work best for their family.

We believe that families should be equal partners with professionals in making decisions about their children’s mental health care.

We believe that mental health conditions are common, real and treatable and all children and youth with emotional, behavioral and mental health challenges should have access to the supports and services they need in order to be successful in their home school and community.

We believe in Mental Health services and supports that are family driven , youth guided and community based.

Family Driven means families have a primary decision making role in the care of their own children, as well as, a voice in the policies and procedures governing care for all children in their community, state, tribe, territory and nation.

Youth Guided means that young people have the right to be empowered, educated, and given a decision making role in the care of their own lives as well a voice in the policies and procedures governing care for all youth in the community, state and nation.

Community- Based means that your children receive the services they need in their home or community.

We believe that Parent-to-Parent support is a unique and valuable enhancement to children’s mental health services. Sometimes the best support comes from those who have ‘been there, done that ’ and being supported by someone with similar lived experience is invaluable in helping parents to feel understood, less alone, more hopeful, as well as, encouraged that they too can successfully navigate the systems that touch their family & successfully meet their child’s mental health needs.

ACMH’s Code of Ethics that guide our work:

  • We support families as equals with common experiences rather than as an expert with all the answers
  • We commit to welcoming all families and honoring our differences
  • We respect the right of each family to make their own choices
  • We take responsibility for understanding and clarifying our role as both a family advocate and a family member of a child with mental health challenges
  • We protect the confidentiality of families and the information that they share
  • We commit to compassionate, honest communication
  • We commit to non-judgmental, respectful attitudes and behavior
  • We foster meaningful relationships between families and community partners
  • We build collaborative community partnerships to enhance the quality of care for children and families
  • We tell our own story when it can help other families and community partners
  • We are committed to assertive advocacy, which supports successful outcomes for children and families

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

About

  • Meet the ACMH Staff
  • ACMH Board of Directors
  • ACMH Job Opportunities
  • ACMH Annual Reports
  • Home
  • Get Help
    • Accessing Mental Health Services For My Child
    • Understanding my Child’s Mental Health Challenges
    • Collaborating with the Professionals Working with My Family
    • Navigating
      • Problems at School
      • Navigating the Juvenile Justice System
      • Navigating the Child Welfare System
      • The Mental Health System
    • Finding Resources for Housing, Employment, Childcare, Healthcare and Other Family Supports such as SSI/SSDI
      • Housing
      • Employment
      • Childcare
      • Free or Low Cost Medications
      • Health Care Coverage
    • Military Family Support
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Get Information
    • Children’s Mental Health 101
      • I Am Worried About My Child’s Mental Health
      • Possible Red Flags
      • Who can help
      • How to Access Mental Health Services and Supports
      • I Just Found Out My Child Has a Mental Health Disorder
      • Common Diagnosis
      • Treatments & Supports
      • Questions to Ask About Treatment
      • How to be Actively Involved in Your Child’s Treatment
      • What to Expect
      • When Accessing Mental Health Services Using Public Mental Health
      • When Accessing Mental Health Services Using Private Insurance
      • What to Expect if Your Child is in Crisis
      • Mental Health by Age & Stage
      • Additional Children’s Mental Health Resources
    • Ask the Expert
    • ACMH Projects
      • Parent Support Partner
      • Youth Peer Support
      • Family Action Partnership
      • Statewide Family Network
      • Other Projects & Collaborations
    • For Community Agencies
    • Child and Family Services
      • Public Mental Health
      • Juvenile Justice
      • Child Welfare
      • Education
    • Training Opportunities & Calendar
      • ACMH Trainings
      • Community Partner Trainings
      • Youth Mental Health First Aid
      • Youth Peer Support Project
      • Webinars
      • Parent Support Partner (PSP) Training Calendar
      • ACMH Staff Portal
  • Get Support
    • Support for You
    • Family Stories
    • The Manual
    • Online Discussions
    • Find Support in Your Local Community
    • Help To Create a Local Parent Support Group
  • Get Involved
    • Importance of Family Voice in Creating Effective Services & Supports
      • Family Driven
      • Youth Guided
    • Share Your Story
    • Family Leadership Opportunities – Share Your Voice!
      • Parent Leadership Opportunities
  • Youth Page
    • Youth Blog
  • Contact

Contact Us:

ACMH State Office
6017 W. St. Joe Highway
Suite 200
Lansing, MI 48917
Phone: 1-517-372-4016
Parent Line: 888-226-4543
Fax: 1-517-372-4032


Statewide Staff:

Jane Shank

Executive Director
jshank@acmh-mi.org
Cell: 231-383-1595

Mary Porter

Business Manager
mporter@acmh-mi.org
Office: 517-372-4016

Terri Henrizi

Education Coordinator
thenrizi@acmh-mi.org
Cell: 517-242-0793

Krissy Dristy

YPS & PSP Program Manager
kdristy@acmh-mi.org
Cell: 517-643-3314

Sara Reynolds

Youth Peer Support Statewide Coordinator
sreynolds@acmh-mi.org
Cell: 517-643-3544

Kelly Bailey

Parent Support Partner Statewide Coordinator
kbailey@acmh-mi.org
Cell: 989-324-9218

Laura Marshall

Parent Support Partner Trainer
lmarshall@acmh-mi.org
Cell: 517-420-2193

Lori Hooker

Administrative Assistant
lhooker@acmh-mi.org
Office: 517-372-4016


 

 

Ask an Expert

My daughter has been sent home from school for the third time this week for behavior issues. We have a behavior plan in place as a part of her IEP but I am not sure anyone is following it. I am worried that she is falling behind by being out of class all the time. I am also worried I may lose my job if I have to keep picking her up; I have had to leave work twice this week already.

… View Answer

ACMH

Association for Children’s Mental Health

6017 W. St. Joseph Hwy., Suite #200,
Lansing, Michigan 48917
Phone: (517) 372-4016
Fax: (517) 372-4032
Parent Line: (888) ACMH-KID (226-4543)

All contents and materials © Copyright 2021 Association for Children's Mental Health
Website designed and developed by Web Ascender
Login

  • Home
  • Get Help
    • Accessing Mental Health Services For My Child
    • Understanding my Child’s Mental Health Challenges
    • Collaborating with the Professionals Working with My Family
    • Navigating
      • Problems at School
      • Navigating the Juvenile Justice System
      • Navigating the Child Welfare System
      • The Mental Health System
    • Finding Resources for Housing, Employment, Childcare, Healthcare and Other Family Supports such as SSI/SSDI
      • Housing
      • Employment
      • Childcare
      • Free or Low Cost Medications
      • Health Care Coverage
    • Military Family Support
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Get Information
    • Children’s Mental Health 101
      • I Am Worried About My Child’s Mental Health
      • Possible Red Flags
      • Who can help
      • How to Access Mental Health Services and Supports
      • I Just Found Out My Child Has a Mental Health Disorder
      • Common Diagnosis
      • Treatments & Supports
      • Questions to Ask About Treatment
      • How to be Actively Involved in Your Child’s Treatment
      • What to Expect
      • When Accessing Mental Health Services Using Public Mental Health
      • When Accessing Mental Health Services Using Private Insurance
      • What to Expect if Your Child is in Crisis
      • Mental Health by Age & Stage
      • Additional Children’s Mental Health Resources
    • Ask the Expert
    • ACMH Projects
      • Parent Support Partner
      • Youth Peer Support
      • Family Action Partnership
      • Statewide Family Network
      • Other Projects & Collaborations
    • For Community Agencies
    • Child and Family Services
      • Public Mental Health
      • Juvenile Justice
      • Child Welfare
      • Education
    • Training Opportunities & Calendar
      • ACMH Trainings
      • Community Partner Trainings
      • Youth Mental Health First Aid
      • Youth Peer Support Project
      • Webinars
      • Parent Support Partner (PSP) Training Calendar
      • ACMH Staff Portal
  • Get Support
    • Support for You
    • Family Stories
    • The Manual
    • Online Discussions
    • Find Support in Your Local Community
    • Help To Create a Local Parent Support Group
  • Get Involved
    • Importance of Family Voice in Creating Effective Services & Supports
      • Family Driven
      • Youth Guided
    • Share Your Story
    • Family Leadership Opportunities – Share Your Voice!
      • Parent Leadership Opportunities
  • Youth Page
    • Youth Blog
  • Contact
  • About
  • News
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Membership
ACMH Twitter ACMH Facebook ACMH YouTube