ACMH is once again a recipient of a grant from the  ETHEL AND JAMES FLINN FOUNDATION which awarded over $2.2 MILLION million dollars in grants this year.

This year’s recipients were announced at the Flinn Foundations September 12, 2017 Board of Trustees meeting and ACMH is so incredibly thankful to be a recipient.

The Foundation awarded 36 grants totaling $2.2 million to mental health organizations to support Evidence-Based Practices and Grantmaking Opportunities programs. Please click here to read more detailed information about all of the  2017 Grant Awards.

The Ethel and James Flinn Foundation is a Detroit based private foundation established in 1976 by Ethel “Peggy” Flinn and her brother, James “Jim” Flinn, Jr. Peggy passed away in 1994. Jim Flinn, Jr., who was diagnosed with schizophrenia in his early 20’s, led a remarkable life until his passing away in 2007 at the age of 91. The Foundation is committed to improving the scope, quality and delivery of mental health services in Michigan. Since inception, over $32 million in grants have been awarded. The Foundation’s geographic focus is primarily Southeast Michigan, defined as the counties of Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw.

For more information, contact Andrea M. Cole, Executive Director and CEO of the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation at (313) 309-3436 or visit our website at
www.flinnfoundation.org

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is providing several updates on the Section 298 Initiative today. The Section 298 Initiative is a statewide effort to improve the coordination of physical health services and behavioral health services in Michigan. This initiative is based upon Section 298 in the Public Act 268 of 2016. The Michigan legislature approved a revised version of Section 298 as part of Public Act 107 of 2017. Under the revised Section 298, the Michigan legislature directed the department to develop and implement up to three pilots and one demonstration model to test the integration of physical health and behavioral health services.

The department is announcing today that the University of Michigan as the project evaluator for the Section 298 Initiative. The evaluation team will assist the department with developing performance metrics and an evaluation plan and conducting the evaluation of the pilot(s) and demonstration model.

The department is also announcing the next steps for the Section 298 Initiative today. The next phase of the Section 298 Initiative will consist of four components, which are outlined below.

· Developing the pilots

· Developing the demonstration model

· Developing an evaluation plan

· Analyzing the policy recommendations from the final workgroup report

For more information about the project evaluator and next steps for the Section 298 Initiative, please visit the project webpage at www.michigan.gov/stakeholder298. The department will continue to provide updates as the initiative progresses. If you have specific questions about the initiative, please send an email to MDHHS-298@michigan.gov.

Best regards,

The Section 298 Team
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

To apply, mail or email a cover letter and resume by September 15 to: Jane Shank, ACMH Executive Director, 6017 W. St. Joe Hwy, Suite 200 Lansing, MI  48917   e-mail to: acmhjane@sbcglobal.net.

Family-Partnership Support Coordinator Job Posting 2017 Final

The ACMH Statewide Family/Partnership Support Coordinator (FSC) will provide information and referral, support, encouragement, community linkages and assistance by phone and online to families of children with emotional, behavioral, or mental health disorders; In addition the FSC will support parents and caregivers to fully participate in family-driven practices, treatment and supports by helping families to better understand and manage their child’s mental health challenges, the public and private mental health systems, available treatments, supports and resources, and by assisting families to negotiate, problem solve and navigate community agencies.

The FSC will also provide outreach and help to identify families who have an interest in participating in systems reform and leadership activities; manage social media presence on platforms including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and provide administrative assistance and support for the Executive Director, the Board of Directors, and ACMH data collection.

**Applicants for this position must have experience parenting a child or youth with emotional, behavioral, and/or mental health challenges who has received mental health services. Experience with child serving systems including CMH, DHS, Court, School is preferred.

This position is a full-time office based position in ACMH’s state office in Lansing.

Work hours will be M-F 8:00 a.m. til 4:30 p.m. with a 30 minute lunch.

If you are interested in this position or know someone who would be a good candidate please download the job posting for a complete list of qualifications and job duties today!

Family-Partnership Support Coordinator Job Posting 2017 Final

Parents Partnering for Change, a training of the Parent Leadership in State Government Initiative training, is starting recruiting for their  next two trainings which will be held in:

• Cadillac on May 22nd and 23rd PPC Flyer Cadillac 
• Bad Axe on June 6th and 7th     PPC Flyer Bad Axe

To view the Advocate Group’s  commentary click here to download: Commentary_298_March_’17 The group which includes  the Association for Children’s Mental Health; The Arc Michigan; Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan; Mental Health Association in Michigan; Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council; Michigan Protection & Advocacy Service; National Alliance on Mental Illness – Michigan; United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Detroit; and the United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Michigan continues to have concerns about the process going forward and the continued push for Medicaid Health Plans driven pilots.

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services submitted the Section 298 Final Report to the Michigan legislature today. The final version is available for download below. The 42 model proposals were also submitted.

MDHHS would like to thank the hundreds of Michiganders who participated in statewide discussions as part of the Section 298 Initiative. MDHHS and the 298 Facilitation Workgroup used your comments and feedback as part of developing the final report, which will help guide upcoming legislative discussions on the coordination of physical health and behavioral health services. MDHHS will continue to engage stakeholders throughout the upcoming discussion.

Final Report of the 298 Facilitation Workgroup

Section 298 All Model Proposals

For more information about Section 298 click here to view archived posts.

MDHHS recently reported that Steve Yager has announced he will be retiring from state service at the end of April. Steve has served as an outstanding Executive Director of the Children’s Services Agency and has led an outstanding team to protect the safety and well-being of vulnerable children in Michigan.

Today Director Lyon announced the appointment of Dr. Herman McCall to be the next Executive Director of the Children’s Services Agency at MDHHS. Dr. McCall has been a key member of our team as Director of Juvenile Justice Programs and brings tremendous expertise and dedication to this role.

Dr. McCall will begin working alongside Steve effective Monday, February 27, to provide for a smooth transition upon his retirement April 28.

Please see the press release for additional details. Press Release New Children’s Services Director

Families USA has put together a user-friendly fact sheet that highlights many of the important issues that may go along with ACA Replacement.

You can download the document here familiesusa.org-Republicans ACA Replacement Proposals Fall Short of Providing the Protections and Care People Current (1)

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is seeking public feedback on the financing of Michigan’s efforts to better coordinate physical, mental health services

The public can provide feedback beginning today on draft financing models for the statewide effort to improve coordination of physical and behavioral health services.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has posted on its website a survey that gives stakeholders a chance to play a role in determining financing for the initiative, which is known as Section 298.

To link directly to MDHHS’s press release click here.

To link the Section 298 Stakeholder page and find a link to the survey click here.