SAGINAW, Mich. — The Great Lakes Bay Region Mental Health Partnership at CMU Health has received $60,000 in grant funding from the Midland Area Community Foundation to expand mental health programs and support services in Midland County.
The funding includes two grants awarded through the foundation’s Caring for Our People focus area. A $10,000 grant from the Midland Area Community Foundation Youth Action Council will support two Youth Mental Health First Aid training sessions in Midland County. A separate $50,000 award will support efforts to reduce mental health stigma, expand workplace and youth mental health programs, and improve access to mental health providers in the county.
“This is a meaningful investment in both our youth and the broader workforce as we work to break down the stigma surrounding mental health, which is often the most significant barrier preventing people from seeking support,” said Dallas Rau, director of the Great Lakes Bay Region Mental Health Partnership at CMU Health.
Youth Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based curriculum developed by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. The program trains parents, caregivers, teachers, school staff, neighbors, health and human service workers, and other adults to recognize and respond when a young person ages 12 to 18 is facing a mental health or addiction challenge or is in crisis.
Two training sessions are scheduled at the Delta College Downtown Midland Center. The first will be held April 29 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The second is scheduled for May 27 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The larger grant will help sustain the partnership’s core strategies in Midland County by supporting staffing, outreach, administrative work and program coordination. The funding is intended to maintain existing efforts while expanding the partnership’s reach.
“We’re incredibly proud of the leadership and passion Dallas has demonstrated,” said Dr. Abishek Bala, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at CMU Health. “Through the programming from GLBRMHP at CMU Health, this award empowers us to reach and significantly impact thousands of individuals across Midland County.”
The Midland Area Community Foundation supports charitable giving and community initiatives aimed at long-term improvement and resident well-being across the region.
For more information about the Great Lakes Bay Region Mental Health Partnership, contact Rau at rau1d@cmich.edu.
