SMH is now working with other local agencies and therapists to address access to care. Schoolcraft County agencies have begun to respond to the current mental health and substance abuse crisis in our community. Unfortunately, local resources and services are limited, exist in separate silos, and are difficult to navigate. The Patient Navigator will be a liaison both internally and externally, coordinating access to community resources, informing local medical and mental health providers of available community resources, and informing community agencies about available medical, mental health, and substance use care.
Evidence-based therapy is an important component of recovery. Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital is currently recruiting two Therapists to work within the Community Connect Program. A Behavioral Health Consultant will be hired to lead the behavioral health initiative, providing brief crisis interventions and short term counseling when a patient presents to the clinic or ER in need.
SMH will hire a full-time Behavioral Health Therapist that can provide services across the lifespan including children, adolescents and seniors. Our ambition is to support and provide evidence-based therapy services so our community can attain health and mental wellbeing. The therapist will be an integral member of the Community Connect Team. They will be available for consultations with medical providers, the psychiatric nurse practitioner, patient navigator, staff and community agencies.
We are committed to improving the holistic health of our community through community agency collaboration. We plan to partner with Great Lakes Recovery to provide office space for their Substance Abuse Counselor. The counselor’s office will be located on site at SMH one day per week. This will allow the counselor to be an integral part of the team. Our providers and Patient Navigator will be able to refer using a “warm handoff” approach, which has been shown to increase patient engagement in services. The collaboration with Great Lakes Recovery will also include ongoing hospital wide training on addiction care and awareness.
Our community wants to work together to improve the health and wellness of our residents. We are part of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) trauma initiative, and the Schoolcraft County Mental Health Court and Substance Abuse Court. We also coordinate services with local therapists, the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Great Lakes Recovery Centers, Manistique Area Schools, Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District (DS-ISD) Great Start Collaborative, Luce-Mackinac-Alger-Schoolcraft (LMAS) District Health Department, and Schoolcraft County Sheriff’s Office, among others. These organizations are supportive of our new trauma-informed mental health and substance use disorder initiatives, as well as our overall medical organization.
An important component of the program includes partnering with Western Michigan University Children’s Trauma Assessment Center (CTAC) in Kalamazoo, MI to bring more trauma-informed training, consultation, and practices to SMH. CTAC has a national reputation as a trauma informed leader in trauma screening, trauma assessment, trauma-informed case/treatment planning, trauma-informed systems change across agencies, as well as integrating primary care into the entire trauma-informed community experience.
SMH plans to bring in recognized speakers to educate and inform our community on awareness, prevention and evidence based treatment practices.
Julie Hardy, Patient Navigator 
906-341-3750 jhardy@scmh.org
Only approved organizations will be allowed access to the Community Connect forum. The forum allows professionals to share information about current resources, upcoming events and helpful services. Once your form is submitted, it will be reviewed by the Community Connect Team at Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital. Access to the live forum will be granted within 7 days after the registrant’s details have been reviewed and approved. Authentication may include workplace verification and phone interviews. You will receive a welcome letter once access has been granted.
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