MUSKEGON, MI – A new addiction recovery program will help Muskegon County teens battling self-destructive behaviors such as smoking, drinking, fighting, and drug use develop skills to overcome these behaviors and live a healthy life. HealthWest, Muskegon County’s Community Mental Health Services Program, is launching SMART Recovery for Teens, which will help youth 13 and…

This afternoon both the House and Senate adopted the conference committee report for SB 139, the FY20 budget bill for the MI Department of Health & Human Services.  The chambers also assigned immediate effect to the bill.  Next, the bill will be enrolled for presentation to the Governor for her review and action before the…

Information distributed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services regarding its proposal to terminate its contract with the Lakeshore Regional Entity (LRE) is one-sided and is unsupported by the LRE’s own data. A review of LRE data failed to support claims MDHHS made backing its proposal to cancel the LRE’s contract and highlights…

The state (MDHHS) once again proposed a plan to (1) terminate the PIHP contract that it holds with the LRE as of 9/30/2019, (2) replace the publicly appointed and locally accountable board with an advisory board appointed by the state, and (3) directly manage the LRE’s functions with the help of Beacon Health Options during…

State of Michigan Issues Proposal to Terminate Contract with the Lakeshore Regional Entity The proposal would eliminate local control of the public mental health system   On Friday, June 28, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued a proposal to terminate its contract with Lakeshore Regional Entity, effective September 30, 2019.  The proposal…

HealthWest offices will close Thursday, May 16, at 2 p.m. for staff in-service. Our offices will reopen at 8 a.m. Friday morning. We apologize for any inconvenience.

This morning, HealthWest leadership presented the 2018 Annual Report.  Click here to read all about our work in the community.

Join us Friday, April 26, to learn about HealthWest’s accomplishments in 2018 and what we’re doing to overcome challenges moving forward. Tours will be available for those interested in seeing our facility.   WHEN: 8:30-10 a.m. Friday, April 26 WHERE: Mental Health Center, 376 E. Apple Ave.   Click here to download our Annual Meeting…

The summary report predicts homelessness, poverty, increased incarceration and deaths   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MARCH 29, 2019 The Community Mental Health Association of Michigan (CMHAM) today released a new analysis, “Systemic Underfunding of Michigan’s Public Mental Health System,” which studies the longstanding underfunding of Michigan’s public mental healthcare system. The study cites a $150 million…

Proposed changes to the Muskegon Area Transit System would change bus service to multiple HealthWest facilities. MATS is proposing to eliminate Route 20-Apple 1 and Route 45-Peck Sanford in an effort to cut costs. Both routes provide service to the Mental Health Center and South Campus facilities. Route 45 provides service to Club Interactions. Those…

***ATTENTION *** All HealthWest services including Clubhouse, the Integrated Health Clinic, and Pharmacy will remain closed tomorrow, January 31, due to weather.  We encourage everyone to stay warm.  Please know that we are working to reschedule appointments as soon as possible. If you need to make emergency contact with your HealthWest worker, please call 231-724-1111….

Senator Debbie Stabenow today announced that four Michigan community mental health centers have been selected as the state’s first-ever Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics. The four clinics are Kalamazoo Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Easter Seals Michigan Inc. in Auburn Hills, West Michigan Community Mental Health System in Ludington and Muskegon HealthWest. Each…

A STATEMENT FROM HEALTHWEST: “A parent and family’s impact on a child is never greater than during the early years of life. The body of evidence surrounding childhood trauma and its negative impact on short and long term health and wellbeing is overwhelming. Perhaps you have seen our recent posts on Adverse Childhood Experiences, trauma…

Financial integration with the Medicaid Health Plans slated to begin October 1, 2018   The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently announced the three pilot sites selected for the state’s 298 Initiative, or Medicaid Health Plan Pilot. HealthWest (Muskegon County’s Behavioral Wellness Connection) and West Michigan Community Mental Health (West Michigan CMH)…

HealthWest’s annual report for 2017 is now available.  Please download to see the accomplishments we had in collaboration, service delivery, substance use services, integrated health, wellness and more.   Click here to download the 2017 Annual Report. 

There are changes in State and Federal rules that might affect services.  Arc Muskegon along with several organizations that provide services are working to keep you informed about these changes.  These changes can be confusing so our goal is to help clarify these changes.   Please plan on attending one of the two upcoming meetings.  Both will be…

The Lakeshore Regional Entity Board of Directors will hold a public hearing on the proposed 2017-2018 operating budget for the Agency. The Hearing will be held on Thursday, September 8, 2017 at 9:30 A.M. at the Lakeshore Regional Entity office building, 5000 Hakes Dr., Norton Shores, MI 49441 in Suite 250.   The proposed budget will…

When the Henry Ford Health System decided to focus on combating suicide they developed a model that surpassed all expectations.   THE SUICIDE SAFE CARE MODEL; Aiming for Zero Suicides   Henry Ford Health saw a dramatic reduction in suicides and even had a year with zero suicides among their thousands of members. Dr. Ahmedani…

Are you receiving services for a developmental or intellectual disability?  Do you provide services or care to some who may have a developmental or intellectual disability?   There are changes to Federal & State rules that could affect services.  Arc Muskegon is providing opportunities for people to meet and learn about changes and ask questions. …

REQUEST FOR URGENT ACTION: Please contact your House and Senate members urging them to make sensible changes to the final 298 boilerplate language.  Timing is critical, we have roughly three weeks to put pressure on lawmakers as they finalize the FY18 budget. We are asking that you reach out to your lawmakers between now and…

As you know, this week the House DHHS subcommittees released their FY18 budget recommendations. While the House language calls for 1 statewide behavioral health entity their language does contain many of the 298 workgroup key concepts such as: maintaining a publicly managed system, reinvesting savings into services, on the ground integration, and uniformity. Please keep…

As you know, this week the Senate DHHS subcommittees released their FY18 budget recommendations. While this is the first step of the process, we have significant concerns with the Senate’s recommendation contained in a new boilerplate section 234, which calls for the privatization of the entire system by transferring the full Medicaid behavioral health and…

As you may be aware, Congressional efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act are on a fast track, included in these discussions are significant changes to Medicaid reimbursements to states as well as Medicaid expansion. Please take a few minutes to reach out to your member of Congress to educate them on why protecting current Medicaid…

The Muskegon Recovery Center, located at 1611 Oak Avenue, is now open providing Medication Assisted Methadone Treatment for qualified individuals who are struggling with Opiate addiction.   Hours of Operation Mon – Fri 6:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Saturday 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. After hours counseling by appointment   Admission Criteria The program provides voluntary…

The January 2017 Resilience Month Community Calendar is a growing list of events. The African American Men’s Health Fair is Saturday at Muskegon High School from 9:00am-1:00pm. Check out that event and more at www.resiliencemuskegon.org

Please join HealthWest Director Julia Rupp as she discusses where we have been and where we are headed. We look forward to seeing you at our annual public meeting. Tuesday November 22, 2016 5:30pm-6:30pm HealthWest 376 E. Apple Ave., Muskegon, MI 49442

Trauma, trauma informed care, resilience, the first 48 hours after a traumatic event in a school, and suicide prevention with youth are just a few of the topics that will be covered at the Student Support Summit.   This event will be held in Montague, Michigan on November 7, 2016.  Featured speakers include Adam Swanson from…

During this week, Suicide Awareness Week, we are inviting everyone to join us for our annual Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Walk.  It begins tonight at 5:30pm at the round-about near The Frauenthal Theater.  The walk will feature a few words and then we will walk through the downtown.  The walk will end around 6:30pm with…

Dr. Lori and Nicole Bray Return To Muskegon Transgender 101 August 24, 2016 8:30am-12:30pm The Folkert Community Hub 640 Seminole Muskegon, MI 49444   Often there is confusion about what “Transgender” really means. “Transgender 101” will educate you about terminology, disparities that Transgender individuals encounter, recent events in the news, and so much more.  …

A HealthWest Lunch Time Learning Event DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CULTURE  Presented by Jeanette Johnson, Sandy Faulkner and Nancy Cluley of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services of Grand Rapids   When: August 10, 2016 11am-1pm Where: HealthWest-376 E. Apple Ave., Muskegon, MI 49442 Free: There is no cost for this event and it…

Join us Thursday, August 18 from noon-2:30 at Hackley Park to celebrate HEALTH, WELLNESS & RECOVERY! Visit https://healthwest.net/integrated-health/health-wellness-recovery/ to learn more.

Recently HealthWest Director Julia Rupp held a Community Informational Meeting about upcoming changes to I/DD Services. Visit here to learn more: https://healthwest.net/community-resources/budget-updates-and-information/    

HealthWest is accepting applications for a Lakeshore Regional Entity At Large Board of Directors member.  The criteria is as follows: AT-LARGE BOARD MEMBER Following is a list of areas of professional expertise and other criteria that were discussed during the April 21, 2016 LRE Board meeting for the At Large Board position: • Clergy • Providers…

Please join us Thursday, Feb. 25th from 6:00-8:30 at the Block (360 W. Western Ave. 2nd floor.) This is a special screening of the documentary Paper Tigers highlighting one school’s unlikely success story. Light refreshments and a cash bar available. For more information call 231-332-3800. To get FREE tickets visit www.tugg.com/titles/paper-tigers

The Muskegon Intermediate School District is again offering Mental Health First Aid classes in 2016.  These classes are offered free of charge and each participant receives a $10 gift card.  If you regularly interact with young people please take the time to learn how to assist in a mental health crisis.  This class will give…

Read this NPR article to find out: http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/11/02/452658644/what-happens-if-you-try-to-prevent-every-single-suicide

The Suicide Prevention Coalition recently partnered with the Mental Health Foundation, Survivors of Suicide and local schools (Ravenna, Mona Shores and Montague) to show a film that addresses the topic of suicide. These viewings were following by panel discussions about mental health, suicide and how to help individuals who are in a mental health crisis….

MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI — A $400,000 gift from four local businesses to the Muskegon Area Promise effort means eligible students who graduated in June will be offered free college scholarships. The gifts of $100,000 each from Hines Corp., Nichols, ADAC Automotive and the Alcoa Foundation mean recent Muskegon, Muskegon Heights and Holton students may be…

  QPR-Become an instructor!   QPR stands for Question, Persuade and Refer, three steps anyone can learn to help prevent suicide.   Just like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and it can save lives. The Muskegon Suicide Prevention Coalition, Survivors of Suicide, and Muskegon Community College present this training. This…

The HealthWest Board of Directors will be holding an educational work session on Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Readiness on Monday, July 6th, 2015 at 5:30pm.  This will be held at HealthWest, 376 E. Apple Ave., Muskegon, Mi., in the board room.

No matter what problems you are dealing with, we want to help you find a reason to keep living. By calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255) you’ll be connected to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area, anytime 24/7. Visit http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ to learn more.

SAMHSA awarded a grant for Recovery Coach Training (SUD) region wide. Click here to check out the flyer: Recovery Coach Academy Flyer

This 42-minute documentary can be streamed from the Raising of America site.  “Wounded Places” details the effects of childhood trauma on later life and shows how healing can take place in communities throughout the nation.  

What is Person-Centered-Planning & Why Is It So Important?   The Arc Muskegon invites families to learn more about this very important process known as Person-Centered-Planning and important elements of pre-planning. They will be targeting skill building services and other supports. Participants will learn the values and elements of a person centered plan, be able to…

Upcoming meeting for consumers, guardians, and families.  Please click here for a letter to Consumers, Families, and Guardians of those affected by the recent budget crisis: Letter from Julia Rupp – Informational Meetings     FOR THOSE FAMILIES, CONSUMERS, and GUARDIANS who will be affected by the closings of MLS, Wesley Roberts, And The White…

For Immediate Release- March 26, 2015   HealthWest (Formerly Muskegon CMH) is currently experiencing an unprecedented budget crisis.   The Lakeshore Regional Partners (LRP) is the Medicaid Health plan for several West Michigan CMH’s: HealthWest, network180, Allegan CMH, Ottawa CMH, and West Michigan CMH.   The two significant factors that have caused a decline in…

By Mike Vizena   In 1987, President Ronald Reagan declared March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month to increase public awareness of both the needs and the potential of Americans with developmental disabilities. This month, we can reflect on the progress that has been made in the nearly 30 years since that declaration, and on future…

Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, has recorded a video message calling for a more open discussion on mental health issues facing children and young people. The video was recorded in support of the U.K.’s first Children’s Mental Health Week.

Join us as we celebrate our new name, new look, and help to share our new story. Our open house will be held Wednesday, March 25th from 3:30-5:30 with our Annual Public Hearing which is open to the public going from 5:30-6:15 and a ribbon cutting at 4:00. Learn about our services and approaches and…

Famous singer Demi Lovato has struggled with behavioral health challenges and is openly advocating for mental health awareness. Watch this YouTube video of her speech at the NAMI (National Alliance of Mental Health) conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H72beAG4-PI    

Childhood trauma isn’t something you just get over as you grow up. Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris explains that the repeated stress of abuse, neglect and parents struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain. This unfolds across a lifetime, to the point where those who’ve…