Senior Reach®
The Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Boards was awarded a grant of $4.2 million from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund to support initiatives aimed at improving the quality of health for seniors across the state. Community Mental Health of Ottawa County (CMHOC) is one of twelve communities throughout the state who will be receiving a portion of these funds, $241,000, to implement Senior Reach®, and evidence based program, over the next two years.
Senior Reach® is a program that works with multiple community partners to identify older adults, living in Ottawa County, who may need emotional or physical support and/or connection to other community services. The program is a service-based intervention targeting seniors 60 years or older experiencing problematic mental and emotional states; personality and physical changes; poor health; social isolation; substance abuse; physical abuse or neglect; and risk factors for suicide. The goal of this program is to keep seniors living independently in their community by providing brief counseling and care management to connect them to resources.
CMHOC has created a Senior Reach® Advisory Board of local providers including LifeCircles, Evergreen Commons, Four Pointes, Senior Resources, a volunteer from the Alzheimer's Association, and other community representatives. The Board is created by having a mix of traditional partners, non-traditional partners and representatives from the senior community. The Board will be providing guidance to the program and advocating for services for seniors, "We are excited to be providing targeted services to our senior population because it is a rapidly growing group of people, living in our community, who are in need of mental health treatment or care management to connect to other resources" said Lynne Doyle, CMHOC Executive Director. Senior Reach® will allow CMHOC to expand the safety net services currently being provided to seniors in our community. To refer a senior contact (877) 588-4357 and ask for Senior Reach®.
