Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 21, 2020 CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112, [email protected] MDHHS provides COVID-19 guidance for holiday travel and gatherings LANSING, Mich. – The holiday season will be different for Michiganders this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure families do not miss out on being together during the holidays, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has issued guidance on how to travel and gather safely during the holidays. “Celebrating the holiday season with family and friends is one of our most cherished traditions,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “Even though the way we celebrate may have to be different, the guidance issued today shows there are still many ways to spend quality time with family and friends safely during this festive season.” Traveling and in-person gatherings increase the chances of getting and spreading COVID-19. Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others. However, if you decide to travel for the holidays, follow these safety measures to protect yourself and others from COVID-19:
In addition to the MDHHS guidance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has the following resources to help determine if you should travel during the holidays:
Individuals who should avoid attending or hosting in-person holiday celebrations with people who do not live in their household, include those who:
The new guidance also urges Michiganders to consider hosting virtual festivities instead of in-person holiday gatherings if there is a risk of community spread based on the risk identified in the MI Safe Start map. If an in-person gathering is hosted, it should be held outdoors if possible. Indoor festivities should avoid crowded, poorly ventilated or fully enclosed indoor spaces, and should be limited to 10 people or less per MDHHS Oct. 9 Emergency Epidemic Order. In addition, attendees of indoor or outdoor festivities should:
Read the full “Celebrating the Holidays During COVID-19” guidance for additional tips to consider before, during and after a gathering to stay safe this holiday season. Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. # # #
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ACMH Youth & Parent Advisories Help Create Video to Enhance Primary Care Physicians Engagement with Youth an Families
The ACMH Statewide Youth and Parent Advisory Committees recently partnered with Michigan Child Care Connect (MC3) to share their expertise and feedback as MC3 worked to create a on video designed to support Primary Care Physicians to better engage and support youth with mental health challenges and their families. Click on the link below to check out the video today!
Engaging With Parents and Youth in the Primary Care Setting – Words Matter
The MC3 program offers psychiatry support to primary care providers in Michigan who are managing patients with behavioral health problems. This includes children, adolescents, young adults through age 26, and women who are contemplating pregnancy, pregnant or postpartum (up to one year).
MDHHS Offers Free MI Parenting Resource
MI Parenting Resource is a free, online program meant to support caregivers across the state of Michigan in strengthening their parent-child relationships and gaining new tools for enhancing positive child behaviors.
Download the documents below to learn more or find out how to register today.
Michigan Protection & Advocacy Service, Inc. (MPAS) has changed its name to Disability Rights Michigan and Launched a New Website
Visit MPAS new website today at – www.drmich.org
MI Alliance for Families Offers Series of Webinars for Parents Preparing for the Up-coming School Year
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 View flyer
- Space is limited.
- Pre-registration required. https://tinyurl.com/SharingChats
- Register: tinyurl.com/MiMTSSMAF
- Flyer: tinyurl.com/PBISwebinars
Michigan’s Creativity Shines Bright in the National Mental Health Art Gallery
Throughout the month of May #MH4YOUth | Art and Inspiration Showcase asked people from across the nation to create and share something that expressed what mental health and wellness meant to them and/or what they thought others should know about mental health.
Many talented Michiganders participated and their works are now a part of the Virtual National Mental Health Art Gallery which can be viewed by clicking here.
Many of these works were also previously shared during ACMH’s #CreativeConversations Event which took place during Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week on May 3-8. You can click here to see a video collage of all artworks from that event.
Creatively certainly blooms brightly throughout our state!
Michigan’s COVID-19 Hotline Now Offers Free, Confidential Emotional Support & Counseling
Confidential emotional support counseling is now available 24/7 at no cost to Michiganders who call the state’s COVID-19 hotline. The service is part of a federally funded grant program implemented by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Administration (BHDDA) in partnership with the Michigan State Police. Callers to the COVID-19 hotline will hear a recording that begins by saying to press “8” if they would like to speak with a Michigan Stay Well counselor. The counselors, though not licensed professionals, have received specialized training from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s (SAMHSA) Disaster Technical Assistance Center on how to provide emotional support to residents of federally declared disaster areas. Michigan Stay Well counselors are available any time, day or night, by dialing the COVID-19 hotline at 888-535-6136 and pressing 8 when prompted. Language translation is available for non-English speakers. To access a variety of emotional support resources in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, visit Michigan.gov/StayWell.
Other MDHHS 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.
ACMH Launches New Electronic Newsletter
ACMH is thrilled to share the first edition of our new quarterly newsletter! View the Inaugural Edition here
ACMH created the newsletter as a venue to enhance and expand our current information sharing networks, serve a broader audience by reaching more families and community partners across our state and most importantly provide useful and up to date information about the needs and issues of children and youth with mental health challenges and their families. We also hope it will be shared and serve as another tool to help us in our efforts to reach all families who may need information or support and help us to create a sense of community across our state.
In each quarterly edition you will find highlights from recent activities, notifications about upcoming events, information about current issues and policy work in children’s mental health, as well as, opportunities to get involved and share your expertise and voice of experience.
Other sections will highlight the work of ACMH’s Statewide Parent and Youth Advisory Committees; share new resources for families and upcoming family leadership and networking opportunities. In addition, each quarter we will highlight one of ACMH’s core values and advocacy tips on a variety of topics. Other monthly features will include a Parenting and Youth Corner. Whatever your interests – we hope you find something that is useful to you!
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!
ACMH to Host Virtual Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week Event!
Quick Links: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
We are pleased to announce that the Association for Children’s Mental Health will be holding a special virtual event in honor of Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week! During the week of May 3 – 8, 2020, we are asking that youth with mental health challenges and their families share messages of hope, advocacy, and experience on social media using the hashtag #CreativeConversations. These messages can be through any creative medium they would like. Painting, dancing, cooking, writing, and photography are a few examples but the possibilities are endless!
Youth and families may choose to express their thoughts on a particular issue that is important to them, share their story, or just express who they are as we work together to shine a light on children’s mental health awareness. We will be sharing as many creative works as we can the week of May 3-8, 2020!
You can also send your submission to us at [email protected] if you would like us to post your creative expression! Be sure to let us know if you would like us to share your name alongside your creation or if you prefer to remain anonymous.
Through the upcoming weeks, ACMH will also be posting prompts and creative exercises on our social media accounts to help you get thinking about how you might want to express yourself!
We hope that you will consider participating in this event and sharing this opportunity with others! The more people that share their voice, the louder our messages will be!
You can find our social media accounts here:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
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MDHHS Announces Peer-run Warmline to Aid Persons with Mental Health Needs During COVID-19 Pandemic
Warmline will operate seven days a week 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
LANSING, MICH. Starting today, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is launching a statewide warmline for Michiganders living with persistent mental health conditions. The warmline will connect individuals 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 will operate seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. at 888-PEER-753 (888-733-7753). It is intended to serve individuals living with persistent mental health challenges including anxiety, depression and trauma. Individuals in crisis, including those considering suicide, are urged to contact the Disaster Distress Helpline 24/7 at 800-985-5990 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 at 800-273-8255.
“The warmline will help individuals with long-term mental health challenges find someone to talk to – someone who has lived these challenges themselves – and do it while staying safe and staying home,” said Robert Gordon, MDHHS director. “COVID-19 is a grave threat not just to physical health, but also to mental health, and we are doing everything we can to offer supports for everyone.”
Warmlines are an alternative to traditional psychiatric crisis hotlines and are used to avoid extreme emotional distress that can lead to hospitalization or other severe outcomes that are preventable with early intervention of peer support. Warmlines alleviate the burden on crisis responders by offering a solution for non-crisis callers. The Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) Warmline will offer support for individuals feeling isolated from society, and will provide referrals for outreach and assistance for those seeking critical physical and behavioral health services.
The warmline will provide particular support to underserved Medicaid beneficiaries, who often lack social connectedness and may now have increased anxiety and feelings of severe isolation during this critical time. It is available to all Michiganders, regardless of insurance status.
MDHHS is collaborating with Justice In Mental Health Organization (JIMHO) Project DOORS, Michigan’s first peerrun organization. JIMHO will moderate the warmline and network with CPSS, statewide peer-run organizations, Community Mental Health Association of Michigan and MDHHS peer services unit. JIMHO has provided critical peer-support and community living skills to persons living with mental illness for 39 years and has assisted more than 15,000 residents using experienced peer-support specialists during that time.
Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
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