County Mental Health Authority Balances Needs, Budgets

Cheryl Patel knows a lot about the mental health services available in Farmington Hills.

"I have a loved one who suffers from an illness, and I have been involved with whatever we can do in our community," the 30-year resident said.

Still, she learned something she didn't know at Thursday's Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority (OCCMHA) "Town Talk," held at . And it wasn't good news.

"I didn't know the (Common Ground) mobile assistance had been cut," Patel said. "That was a very good program."

OCCMHA communications and education manager Vicki Suder said the program, which sent teams into communities to help with mental health crisis situations, was cut last year, as a result of budget pressures. She said Common Ground still has the capacity to send out help when it's needed.

"It's a difficult balance, but we can do it when we need to," she said.

Mary Griffiths, OCCMHA director of planning and community services, said police departments and the Oakland County sheriff's department are also developing crisis intervention teams of specially trained officers, who would respond to local incidents.

Sharing information like that is the purpose of the authority's Town Talks, held during the year in locations throughout the county.

"We know the needs of our community have been great ... and the pain in our community is apparent," said Jeff Brown, OCCMHA executive director.

In 2004, about 12,000 people were served by the authority; six years later, that number has jumped to 21,000.

Brown said the authority wanted to ensure good partnerships and collaborations with their core providers, to ensure people with mental illnesses get the help they need to be active participants in their communities. He said the increase in demand and decreasing budgets creates a need to pull together.

Common Ground, which provides help for adults, youth and families in crisis, serves as OCCMHA's "front door," Brown explained. The authority also works with core service providers that offer help for adults with serious mental illness, children with serious emotional disturbances and people with developmental disabilities.

"It's not uncommon for people to receive help from any of these organizations and not know they're dealing with the Oakland County Community Health Authority," Brown said.

Most of the authority's $300 million budget comes through Medicaid; the state's general fund and Oakland County also provide funding. Brown said discussions about state and federal budgets have a direct effect on local services.

"What happens in Washington does get played out in communities," he said, adding the same holds true with regard to state funding. "At the end of the day, we are the ones who are going to have to live within our means."

Tough decisions in the future, Brown added, will require communication "to maek the best decision for our communities."

Oakland County Commissioner Jim Nash, who represnts the eastern portion of Farmington Hills, said the community doesn't really understand the importance of the work done by OCCMHA.

"You guys are heroes to me," he said. "As much as police and fire do for the community, you do it as well, but you're unsung."

OCCMHA will be a part of a May 17 Town Hall meeting on depression, sponsored by the Commission for Children, Youth and Families, at Farmington Hills City Hall.