Mental Health Care in Our Community: A Look at Local Funding

Did you know that the mental health team at the City on a Hill Health Clinic serves neighbors who are uninsured and underinsured with free services?

These services are made possible, in part, by the Ottawa County Mental Health Millage.

The Mental Health Millage was first approved in 2016 to help address gaps in local mental health funding and expand access to care across Ottawa County. Since then, millage funds have supported a variety of community-based programs, including crisis services, counseling and therapy, housing stabilization supports, community navigation, outreach initiatives, and mental health services within the county jail and during re-entry to the community.

One unique feature of the millage is that all funds generated remain in Ottawa County and are reinvested in local services.

According to Community Mental Health of Ottawa County, the millage helps support programs that provide early intervention, crisis response, housing assistance, and ongoing mental health care for youth, adults, and seniors.

At City on a Hill Health Clinic, these funds help make it possible for our neighbors to access counseling services regardless of their ability to pay.

Every day, we see firsthand how access to mental health care can strengthen individuals, families, and the broader community.

As community members learn more about the Mental Health Millage renewal (no new tax or increase, but a renewal to continue the funding), we encourage everyone to review the available information, understand how the funding is used, and consider its role in supporting local mental health services throughout Ottawa County.

You can find more information about the millage here. 

Thanks to Daniel Bechtel-Unekis, LMSW, for this update. Daniel serves as a therapist and the Behavioral Health Manger at the City on a Hill Health Clinic.