mental health services

Back in November 2017, Washtenaw County voters approved a millage to increase funding for mental health services and public safety.  In the last two years, those funds have been allocated to 11 new programs.  Derrick Jackson from the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department and Lisa Gentz from Washtenaw County Mental Health Services join WEMU's David Fair for a conversation about how these vital services have improved and what lies ahead in this week's "Washtenaw United."  

Lying to your landlord about needing an emotional support animal could become a crime in the state.  As Cheyna Roth reports, bills in the state House would make it a misdemeanor.

Mental health patients might have to wait longer to get their conditions diagnosed – if they can get care at all.  That’s according to mental health counselors, who say a rule change by the state is about to put thousands of them out of business.  Rick Pluta has more.

Childhood trauma takes time to heal.  It also requires resources that may not be easy to find.  Deb Gordon-Gurfinkel decided to use her experience in drama education to create a program called "Telling It."  It uses arts as a means to help troubled youth in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti.  Gordon-Gurfinkel joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss "Telling It" on this week's "Washtenaw United."

When parents try to talk to their kids about subjects like drugs, sex, or suicide, the kids may not want to listen.  So, the Corner Health Center in Ypsilanti developed the "Health Ambassadors" program, which uses younger counselors to work with teens on these tough subjects.  In this week's "On the Ground-Ypsi," WEMU's Lisa Barry and Concentrate Media's Sarah Rigg learn all about this program with Corner Health Center behaviorial health coordinator Jen MacLeod and health ambassador Cecilia Aguilar.

There are five candidates seeking to become Ypsilanti's next mayor.  Sitting Mayor Amanda Edmonds decided against seeking re-election.  2nd Ward City councilwoman Beth Bashert was unopposed in the August primary but now faces a run-off with four others.  Anne Brown has previously served on Ypsilanti City Council.  Adrienne Hirschfelder is a lecturer at Eastern Michigan University.  Mickiela Tate is an Ypsilanti resident dipping into local politics for the first time, and Shiela McSpadden is a write-in candidate seeking her first elective office.  Four of the five candidates gathered at Riverside Arts Center for a public forum Tuesday night.  McSpadden did not participate.  89.1 WEMU's Jorge Avellan was there. 

Ann Arbor and the surrounding communities have been busy with such matters as a lawsuit involving the Library Lot and upcoming school board elections.  These are just a few of topics discussed in this week's "Civic Matters" with WEMU's Patrick Campion and the CivCity Initiative's Mary Morgan.

High schoolers, lawmakers, and concerned citizens held a rally at the state Capitol Thursday for changes to the state’s gun laws.

Every Monday morning, the executive director of the CivCity Initiative will join WEMU's David Fair for a conversation on topics pertinent to the city of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County.  Mary Morgan provides news, analysis, commentary and explains the various ways residents can become more engaged.

Creating a more effective way of utilizing the sheriff's office in the larger countywide effort to deal with mental illness.  That is a more attainable goal following passage of the Washtenaw County Community Mental Health and Public Safety millage on Tuesday.  Sheriff Jerry Clayton joined 89.1 WEMU's David Fair for a look ahead. 

An 8-year, 1-mill tax for mental health and public safety services in Washtenaw County won roughly 64-percent voter support on Tuesday. The county won't start collecting that tax until December of 2018. Between now and the, the legality of the tax capture may end up in court. 

A mental health services and public safety millage wins countywide approval, while voters in the nine public school districts in Washtenaw County pass a special education renewal question. Two countywide millage issues on the ballot in Washtenaw county were both approved in Tuesday's elections.