As we continue to navigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Michigan Alliance for Families is offering a series of webinars for parents preparing for the new school year. During each webinar MAF Parent Mentors will answer the questions they re hearing most often from families. Webinars start at noon and will be recorded.

August 13 – Planning for Your Child’s Return To School During COVID-19

A conversation on making tough decisions, planning for success, and problem solving for the return to school for your child with an IEP.

• Understanding your options and considerations for decision making
• Getting supports and services your child needs during distance learning
• Managing back to school for your child with an IEP or IFSP

August 20 – Parent Advocacy During Unprecedented Times

A conversation on being an effective advocate for your child when so much is different and changing often.

• Advocating for your child’s distance learning needs
• Documenting events and conversations as they occur
• When to act and what to do when something isn’t working

August 27 – Tips for Student Self Advocates During Remote Learning

Students returning to school this year will need to speak up for themselves in new ways; tools and advice for youth with disabilities and those who support them.

• 6 W’s of self advocacy
• Understanding the chain of command/hierarchy
• Helping your student self-advocate during distance learning

Register for webinar series

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Michigan Alliance for Families COVID-19 resources

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) wants residents to Stay Home and Stay Well and have created or shared several mental health resources to help!  One exciting new crisis resource launched on May 1st is the RESTORE Crisis Text Line:

RESTORE Crisis Text Line – Getting crisis mental health support is now as simple as sending a text to this new service. Michiganders can simply text “RESTORE” to 741741 to have a confidential text conversation with a crisis counselor. Trained counselors will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to texts from Michigan residents who are facing a mental health crisis — everything from anxiety and financial issues to suicide and domestic violence. While the text line is starting during the pandemic, MDHHS intends to continue offering the service in the future.  In addition, as part of Michigan’s partnership with Crisis Text Line, people who text RESTORE to 741741 will also receive referrals to local mental health resources and connections. Click here to learn more.

Other new or expanded mental health resources available to Michiganders as a parts of the Stay Home, Stay Well efforts include

• Headspace which provides free, evidence-based guided meditations. It includes at-home workouts that guide people through mindful exercise (a type of meditation in which participants focus on being intensely aware of what they are sensing and feeling in the moment), sleep assistance, and children’s content to help address rising stress and anxiety. The resource is free and available to the public. Go to www.HeadSpace.com/MI.
• The National Suicide Prevention hotline. People considering suicide are urged by MDHHS to contact the or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 at 800-273-8255.
• The Disaster Distress Helpline for anyone in distress pertaining to the COVID-19 crisis. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 800-985-5990.
• The statewide “Warmline” for Michiganders living with persistent mental health conditions connects people with certified peer support specialists who have lived experiences of behavioral health issues, trauma or personal crises, and are trained to support and empower the callers. The Warmline operates seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. at 888-PEER-753 (888-733-7753).
• Additional information about all of these resources can be found on the MDHHS Stay Home, Stay Well webpage, www.michigan.gov/StayWell.

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APRIL 28TH – Senator Debbie Stabenow secures $54,452,014 in New Funding for Michigan’s Behavioral Health Clinics Governor Whitmer Makes Statement on Senator Debbie Stabenow’s Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act

 Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer released the following statement after Senator Debbie Stabenow announced that 18 Michigan community mental health organizations have been selected as Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics. Michigan will receive $54,452,014 in new funding for the clinics. Senator Stabenow’s announcement is a result of the passage of the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act by Senator Stabenow and Senator Roy Blunt.

“Michiganders have faced an unprecedented crisis over the past month, and in these uncertain times having access to mental health resources is crucial,” said Gov. Whitmer. “The work Senator Stabenow has done will ensure more Michiganders can access the behavioral health services they need while navigating this crisis. I’m eager to continue working with Senator Stabenow and everyone else who wants to help make sure Michiganders have access to these resources year round.” 

Senator Stabenow is a longtime advocate for Michiganders who need access to behavioral health services. To date, she has secured over $88 million in funding for Michigan community mental health centers. 

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We hope you enjoyed our Spring 2020 edition and  that you found some information that was useful to you. As always, all of the work of ACMH is targeted to support the needs of the youth, families and communities we serve and your voice drives what we do. So please be sure to share any feedback or ideas you may have as we get started on this new venture!