The millage focuses on seven areas of community support:

1. Law Enforcement/First Responder Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) Mental Health Response Team

2. Law Enforcement/Mental Health Co-Response and Jail Diversion

3. Court/Corrections Mental Health Supports and Services

4. Suicide and Crisis Prevention

5. Prevention and Crisis De-Escalation in the K-12 Community

6. Crisis Center/Crisis Stabilization

7. Health and Wellness for Vulnerable Populations

GHS has partnered with many law enforcement, corrections, and first responder agencies to create relationships that can better respond to emergencies and situations that have a mental health component.

• It is estimated that over half of the calls for emergency assistance have a mental health or substance use component with various criminal justice systems and public safety initiatives. Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training is a 40-hour training focusing on mental health, warning signs and symptoms, substance abuse, personal wellness, scenario-based skill application, and non-violent intervention. Training is now offered quarterly. For those law enforcement agencies that cannot afford to send officers or dispatchers, GHS offers a scholarship program to cover salaries while in training.

• GHS now offers three days of mental health response training at the police academy so that new officers begin their careers with more skills and improved safety.

158 law enforcement and first responders trained as of December 2022

• A co-response team consisting of a mental health professional and a sheriff’s department officer riding in tandem to assist callers reaching out to Genesee 911 for support related to a mental health crisis. These teams are experts in mental health de-escalation techniques, resources, and alternatives to detainment. When the team responds, jail diversion is achieved 84% of the time.

84% Jail diversion is achieved of the time

• Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISM) provides group and individual debriefing following traumatic or stressful incidents to first responders and large-scale traumatic events in and to the community.

• Inmate training assists in managing mental health, substance use/abuse, and traumatic experiences.

Other initiatives supporting our community include programs within the schools, a crisis center/stabilization, community counseling/outreach, and other ways to support the mental health of our community.

• Within the schools, a UCares program is beginning with several Genesee County area schools offering crisis response assistance for students who have a mental health crisis or are exhibiting behavioral concerns. In addition, prevention skill-building groups, an embedded community health worker, and vaping/tobacco cessation groups are now being implemented in several districts within Genesee County. Work continues to implement suicide prevention and parent support initiatives.

• The Behavioral Health Urgent Care began in September of 2020, offering virtual 24/7 care during the pandemic. With increased usage, a physical building opened a year later in October of 2021, with a grant from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). The millage has allowed the program to be expanded with staffing and hours of operation. Further expansion of hours and staff is planned for upcoming years.

• The Pillars of Hope project is a partnership with local churches. Mental health staff are located at the churches to offer counseling to those living in and around the neighborhoods. This makes mental health services accessible in a comfortable and familiar setting. To date, 173 people have been connected to services through this outreach. This partnership is in conjunction with existing outreach programming and community events.

• Community grassroots organizations reach individuals who might not otherwise seek mental health services and support. GHS created a grant program that provided over $300,000 to local organizations to support mental health and vulnerable populations.

For more information on the Mental Health Millage, this year's accomplishments, and to continue to follow our successes and outreach, visit: www.geneseethefuture.org individuals connected to mental health treatment from faith-based locations