The Ethel and James Flinn Foundation is pleased to announce that we are accepting proposals from non-profit organizations that deliver mental health care and services in southeast Michigan (Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw).
All applications must be submitted through our Online Grant Application Process which is accessible directly from our website.
The deadline for all applications is July 16, 2026 — before 4:00 p.m.
Please click on the following Request for Proposals (RFPs) links for details:
EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES – ADULTS
EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES – CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
CAPACITY BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH MINI-GRANTS PROGRAM
Get full information at the How to Apply page.
For more than 30 years, Dr. Calvin Mann has worked with boys and families through his organization, Encourage Me I’m Young (EMIY), developing a mentoring model centered on relationships, structure, and early intervention.
That work is now captured in a newly published book that outlines what Mann calls the “EMIY Way” — a practical framework designed to help parents, educators and mentors better support young people before challenges escalate.
At the core of the approach is a simple idea: prevention starts with relationships. By focusing on connection, clear boundaries, and encouragement, the model aims to create more supportive environments at home, in schools and in community settings.
Mann’s work emphasizes engaging not only young people, but also the adults around them. His mentoring programs incorporate strong family involvement and provide tools that can be applied across classrooms, households and youth-serving organizations.
As communities continue to look for ways to strengthen mental health and well-being, particularly among young people, the EMIY model offers one example of how early, relationship-based approaches can help build resilience and support healthier outcomes over time.
The book is available on Amazon and provides an introduction to the framework, along with practical strategies for those interested in applying it in their own settings.
The Boys & Girls Clubs’ Behavioral Health program, launched in 2022, was designed to integrate behavioral health support into everyday club programming. By embedding services such as therapy, social-emotional learning and staff consultation, the program aimed to make mental health support accessible and normalized for young people.
The former Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan is now Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Detroit, a name Dr. La-Toya S. Gaines, Executive Director of Behavioral Health, says reflects the organization’s current and future growth.
That growth includes a new location inside Michigan Central, which officially opened in February 2026. The 15,000-square-foot club is located inside The Station and is described by Michigan Central as a first-of-its-kind model that places youth inside a working innovation district.
For Gaines and her behavioral health team, the new site offers a different setting for the same larger goal: making mental health support accessible, relevant and connected to young people’s lives.
Gaines, a licensed clinical psychologist, oversees a behavioral health department that includes a director of social work, a program coordinator, psychology and social work interns, and other trainees. She describes the team as “small but mighty.”
Across the clubs, their work includes direct care for youth and families, consultation with staff, and support during mental health needs or crises that may arise during programming.
Gaines says part of the behavioral health team’s role is collaborating with staff across the clubs to help them recognize and respond to mental health needs and crises that may arise during programming. That includes supporting youth development staff in approaching youth through a trauma-informed lens and connecting young people to additional support when needed.
Any adult interacting with youth, including club directors, youth development specialists, transportation staff and culinary team members, can make a referral to behavioral health. Parents and caregivers can also request services.
Most services are provided on site. When a young person has more complex needs or requires longer-term care, the team helps connect the family to outside support. Gaines said the most common concerns include anxiety, depression, trauma, attention-related challenges and behavioral concerns.
Last year, the behavioral health department served more than 900 youth and families in some capacity, including individual counseling, family therapy, assessments, group programming, emotional regulation support, conflict resolution, resiliency work and workshops.
The Michigan Central location is not structured like a traditional club. It is designed primarily for older youth and young adults, with programming aimed at exposure to career pathways and hands-on experience in a range of fields.
Gaines said the club is especially geared toward youth ages 14 and older. Young people can explore areas such as media production, fashion and other fields through “industry clubs” that provide exposure to career pathways and connections to professionals in mentorship roles.
The physical environment reflects that focus, with spaces dedicated to podcasting, production, fashion and other creative pursuits. For youth with interests in those areas, the club provides access to equipment, practice opportunities and guidance they may not otherwise encounter.
“I think it is very affirming for somebody to say, not only verbally, ‘I believe in you,’ but ‘here are the tools you need, here’s the space that you need, and here’s a person who can assist you with that,’” Gaines says.
“That goes from being something you imagine or visualize to something that’s real and tangible,” she adds.
Because the Michigan Central site functions differently, the behavioral health approach there is different as well.
Rather than focusing primarily on one-on-one therapy, Gaines and her team provide workshops that meet youth where they are.
Topics include managing stress, coping with disappointment, navigating new responsibilities and understanding emotions that arise as young people begin to think more seriously about adulthood and future careers.
For example, a young person may participate in a pitch or performance opportunity and not be selected. Experiences like that create opportunities to talk about resilience, confidence and self-worth in real time.
The approach also helps reduce stigma. Gaines says the workshops introduce mental health topics in a way that feels relevant rather than clinical.
“I think it’s a nice way to introduce mental health in a way that’s not stigmatizing,” she says.
Youth voice is also shaping the programming. After workshops, participants are asked what they found useful and what topics they want to explore next. Gaines says she has been struck by how often youth ask for more information about mental health.
After one session on depression and anxiety, youth asked how to support friends who may be struggling. That feedback led to additional programming focused on peer support. Other requested topics have included navigating adulthood, having difficult conversations with adults and learning how to advocate for themselves.
Gaines says that support is especially important because the organization continues serving youth into early adulthood, helping maintain access to behavioral health resources, mentorship and other supports during a period when many young people are navigating major transitions related to school, work and independence.
Across all Boys and Girls Clubs in metro Detroit, the most common concerns include anxiety, depression, trauma and behavioral challenges. But many families also face needs beyond behavioral health, including housing instability and financial stress.
The behavioral health team often works to connect families to community resources that address those broader challenges.
The organization has also expanded outreach into schools, with staff currently working in at least one neighborhood school and plans to grow that effort.
One area of focus is increasing engagement with parents and caregivers.
“When we are not just treating the child, but working with the family, those outcomes improve tremendously,” Gaines says.
The organization has introduced more parent coaching, aimed at helping caregivers support emotional regulation, respond to behavioral challenges and strengthen family dynamics.
Even as the organization expands, capacity remains a challenge, with more behavioral health staff at the top of the wish list for Gaines.
The department relies in part on interns, and additional staffing and resources would help meet the level of need among youth and families.
The Michigan Central club reflects a broader shift in how youth-serving organizations can integrate mental health into environments that also offer skill-building and career exposure.
For the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Detroit, it is one part of an ongoing effort to provide support earlier, in settings where young people are already spending time, learning and building toward their futures.
Header photo by Darren Clark/via Redfoot Vegas. Inline photo by Michigan Central.
Learn more about the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Detroit.
At Wayne State University, a cross-disciplinary partnership is advancing a different approach to early childhood mental health — one that begins within pediatric care and challenges how systems are structured to support infants, young children and their caregivers.
The Early Childhood Support Clinic (ECSC) brings together the Wayne State University School of Social Work, the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child & Family Development and Wayne Pediatrics to deliver integrated, relationship-based care.
The clinic was launched in 2023 with support from the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation, along with Priority Health Total Health Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and Southeast Michigan Perinatal Quality Improvement Coalition. The clinic reflects a growing recognition that early developmental and mental health needs cannot be addressed effectively within traditional service silos.
The effort is led by Dr. Carolyn Dayton, professor of social work at Wayne State University and associate director of the Infant Mental Health Program at the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute, and Dr. Alissa Huth-Bocks, director of the Institute. Both emphasize that the clinic was designed to meet immediate family needs, prevent future developmental and mental health problems from arising, and test a model that existing systems are not structured to support — particularly when it comes to delivering and sustaining relationship-based care for infants and caregivers.
Since its launch, ECSC has served nearly 1,000 infants, young children and their families, most under age 3, by embedding mental health clinicians directly within Wayne Pediatrics.
Rather than relying on families to seek out behavioral health services independently, the model ensures that support is available as part of routine pediatric care. According to Dr. Huth-Bocks, this integration allows clinicians to engage families in real time, often during the same visit in which concerns first emerge.
“We’re located right in the pediatric clinic, so we can literally cross the hallway and connect with families,” she says.
Services include developmental guidance, emotional support, and assistance with concrete needs, as well as coordination across medical, behavioral health and community-based systems. More than half of encounters involve coordination of care, reflecting the complexity of navigating services that are often fragmented and difficult for families to access.
Families may engage with the clinic once or over time, depending on need. Dr. Huth-Bocks indicates that this flexibility is essential, as some concerns can be addressed quickly while others require ongoing support and monitoring.
At the center of ECSC’s approach is dyadic care — an intervention model that focuses on both the child and the caregiver, as well as the relationship between them.
For infants and toddlers, Dr. Dayton explains, developmental and mental health concerns are inseparable from the caregiving relationship itself. Challenges such as feeding difficulties, sleep disruption or excessive crying can place significant strain on caregivers, particularly in the context of stress, limited resources or perinatal mental health conditions.
“These are the kinds of early problems that, when they begin to affect the relationship, can become much more serious if we don’t intervene,” Dr. Dayton says.
Despite strong evidence supporting dyadic intervention, both Dr. Dayton and Dr. Huth-Bocks emphasize that traditional medical and behavioral health systems are not structured to deliver or sustain this type of care. Current reimbursement models, for example, are typically designed around an individual patient with a diagnosable condition, rather than a caregiver-child pair receiving preventive, relationship-based services.
“We’re working with the parent and the baby together, but the system doesn’t account for that,” Dr. Dayton says.
According to Dr. Huth-Bocks, this disconnect is particularly pronounced for children birth-age 5. While integrated behavioral health models are becoming more common for older children and adults, similar approaches for infants and toddlers remain rare.
“What we’re doing for this age group is almost non-existent,” she says.
The ECSC model is fundamentally preventive, focusing on strengthening early relationships to mitigate the risk of more serious behavioral health challenges later in life.
Dr. Dayton indicates that early intervention can reduce the likelihood and impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), while also supporting healthier developmental trajectories.
“This is prevention through and through,” she says.
The long-term implications are well established in research. Early relational health is associated with improved educational outcomes, better physical and mental health, and greater economic stability across the lifespan. According to Dr. Huth-Bocks, the return on investment is substantial.
“For every dollar you put into this kind of work, you get it back many times over,” she says.
ECSC also responds to a practical challenge within pediatric settings. Pediatric providers are often the first point of contact for families with young children, yet they may have limited capacity to address complex mental health concerns without additional support.
Dr. Huth-Bocks notes that this is not a limitation of individual providers, but rather a reflection of how systems are structured. “It’s not a failure of pediatricians—it’s a system issue,” she says.
By embedding mental health clinicians within the pediatric environment, ECSC creates a pathway for early assessment and intervention that would otherwise be difficult to access.
According to both Dr. Dayton and Dr. Huth-Bocks, pediatric providers have responded positively to the model, reporting that it enhances their ability to care for families and expands what can be addressed within a single visit. At the same time, demand continues to exceed capacity.
“The biggest complaint we hear is that there aren’t enough of us,” Dr. Huth-Bocks says.
Beyond direct service delivery, ECSC is contributing to broader efforts to align policy and financing with early childhood mental health practice. The team is engaged in national collaborations focused on expanding Medicaid reimbursement for dyadic care and addressing structural barriers that limit access to preventive services.
Dr. Dayton points to emerging policy changes in other states, including legislation that allows reimbursement for services without requiring a formal diagnosis in very young children, as an important step forward.
At the same time, the field of pediatrics is evolving, with increasing emphasis on early relational health as a core component of child well-being.
Despite demonstrated impact and growing demand, ECSC currently relies on grant funding, highlighting the broader challenge of sustaining and scaling innovative models within existing systems.
For Dr. Dayton, the long-term goal is clear: a system in which integrated, relationship-based care is standard practice in pediatric settings.
“There’s no reason every pediatric clinic shouldn’t have someone trained to do this work,” she says.
As policymakers and funders consider how to strengthen behavioral health systems, ECSC offers a clear example of both what is possible and what remains to be addressed.
Learn more about the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation.
Over the past five years, the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation has invested deeply in strengthening mental health services across Michigan — from early intervention and workforce development to cross-sector collaboration and policy influence. As the Foundation reached the conclusion of its 2021–2025 strategic plan, it partnered with Tyler Logan, Founder of Black In Public Health, LLC, to step back and answer a critical question: How is this work contributing to real systems change?
Logan served as Flinn’s learning and evaluation partner, synthesizing reports from 30 Flinn-funded organizations across the state. His work culminated in a December 2025 presentation to the Flinn Foundation Board of Trustees, where he introduced a refined Theory of Change — a framework that clearly shows how individual grants connect to broader, long-term impact.
“A theory of change helps make the through line visible,” Logan explains. “Flinn already had a strong mission, vision, values and strategic priorities in place. My role was to connect those dots and show how change is happening at multiple levels, not just within programs, but across systems.”
Rather than focusing solely on outputs or individual initiatives, the evaluation looked at outcomes across four interconnected levels: individual, organizational, political and ecosystem. What emerged was a clear picture of how Flinn-funded work is embedded within the systems people rely on every day, including health care, schools, justice settings and community-based services.
Across the portfolio, organizations are not only delivering services, but also building sustainable models of care. This includes integrating behavioral health into primary and perinatal care, strengthening workforce capacity through training and professional development, improving data-sharing and evaluation practices, and creating stronger partnerships across sectors.
“What stood out most was how deeply practical and systems-oriented the work is,” Logan says. “Grantees are embedding mental health into the places where people already are — clinics, schools, community spaces — and reaching populations that are often left out of traditional systems.”
A consistent theme throughout the evaluation was the importance of early intervention and prevention. Whether through school-based mental health programs, suicide prevention coalitions, perinatal mental health supports or youth justice diversion efforts, Flinn’s investments help connect people to care before challenges escalate into crisis.
From a public health perspective, Logan emphasizes that mental health needs develop over time. “When people can only access care once they reach an emergency, the costs are higher for individuals, families and systems,” he says. “Early connection to care supports healing, dignity and stability, and leads to more equitable outcomes.”
The evaluation also highlighted philanthropy’s unique role in advancing mental health equity.
While philanthropic funding cannot replace federal or state resources, it can move more nimbly, investing in trust-based partnerships, data infrastructure, workforce development and collaboration.
“Philanthropy isn’t just about funding services,” Logan notes. “It’s about investing in the conditions that make systems change possible — trust, partnerships, learning and sustainability.”
Over the past five years, the Flinn Foundation has increasingly focused on these conditions, contributing to stronger regional coalitions, shared data systems, and policy-aligned approaches that extend beyond individual grants.
As Flinn builds on the insights from this evaluation, the refined Theory of Change offers a clear foundation for the future. It reinforces the Flinn Foundation’s commitment to early intervention, prevention, culturally responsive care and systems-level impact while providing a shared framework for learning with grantees, partners and other funders.
“This work shows that change doesn’t happen in one place or at one level,” Logan says. “When investments align across individuals, organizations, policy and the broader ecosystem, that’s when you start to see real community transformation.”
Learn more about the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation. Visit flinnfoundation.org.
Najah Bazzy, founder and CEO of Zaman International, has long known how to transform compassion into action. For more than two decades, she’s stood beside women and children facing poverty and trauma, building Zaman into an internationally recognized nonprofit that uplifts marginalized families with dignity and practical support.
Now, Bazzy brings her insight and lived experience to the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation as its newest Board Trustee.
In early December 2025, Bazzy was formally inducted into the Board during a luncheon at the Detroit Athletic Club, where she met fellow trustees and honored recipients of the Foundation’s Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Awards. While she brings prior board experience, this marks her first role on a philanthropic foundation board.
“I’m just really proud to have this as my first experience on a philanthropic board,” Bazzy says. “To witness the generosity of the Foundation and to see the legacy of Leonard Smith, which was talked about so beautifully.”
But it’s not just legacy that draws Bazzy in, it’s also growth. “I want to understand how philanthropy works in a space I haven’t yet known,” she says. “At Zaman, we’ve been the recipients of Flinn Foundation dollars. I’ve seen the impact. But now I get to learn how a philanthropic board aligns with donor intent, how it vets applications, and how it remains true to its purpose. That’s a whole new lens for me.”
As a registered nurse with experience in transcultural health care, Bazzy is known for her strategic thinking, creative problem-solving, and deep commitment to systems that honor the dignity of the individual. She says her time in the ICU working with patients undergoing bypass surgery informs her leadership philosophy to this day.
“You don’t have to remove the entire heart to solve a problem. You find a way to bypass the blockage, restore the flow and bring life back. That’s how I lead at Zaman. It’s how I think about systems and people.”
Bazzy’s path is marked by humility and impact. Zaman’s one-stop model for poverty relief includes food, clothing, shelter support, vocational training and a health clinic, all under one roof. In its three decades, Zaman has served 500,000 individuals in southeast Michigan and 5 million globally. The organization’s core values of dignity, integrity, and stewardship are deeply embedded into every interaction, something Bazzy believes will serve her well as a Flinn Trustee.
Her leadership is also grounded in faith. “I speak to God a lot,” she says. “Having that reliance on a higher power is very special.” This spiritual alignment, she says, is what helps her remain centered amid the emotional weight of her work.
She’s also excited to learn from her peers. “Every board is different, and I want to grow as a leader by learning from others,” she says. While Bazzy values the importance of creating space for new voices in leadership, she is committed to bringing her time, energy, and insight to the Foundation for as long as she can meaningfully contribute.
Bazzy sees her board role as both a responsibility and a privilege. “Leadership is humility. I’m honored they see me as someone with the integrity and intellectual capacity to serve. That trust means everything.”
She also believes that giving doesn’t have to be measured in big numbers to be meaningful. “I’ve learned that philanthropy isn’t about the size of the gift — it’s about the longevity and purpose of giving,” Bazzy says. “It’s about putting hope into action.”
Together with the Flinn Foundation Board of Trustees, Bazzy is welcomed by President and CEO Andrea Cole. “We very much welcome Najah’s thoughtful insight and look forward to her unique perspective as we carry out our work,” says Cole. “We are excited to have her as a Board member.”
Learn more about the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation. Meet the Flinn Foundation Board of Trustees.
The Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award honors the spirit of a leader who believed in service, compassion and the power of stepping back to renew one’s purpose. It is given to those who show extraordinary commitment to caring for others while navigating the complex realities of community mental health.
“The Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award is about honoring the leaders who give so much of themselves,” says Andrea Cole, president and CEO of the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation. “We want to create the space for them to rest, to reflect and to return to their work with renewed energy. Their commitment fuels hope across our region.”
This year’s four honorees reflect the depth, diversity and creativity of mental health work in our community. Though they serve different populations and lead very different organizations, their shared focus is unmistakable. Each is building a more connected, compassionate and culturally responsive mental health system. Their stories illustrate how hope, healing and dignity take shape in real lives every day.
Judson Center president and CEO Lenora Hardy-Foster has spent her career showing what whole-person care can make possible. Under her leadership, Judson Center expanded its integrated care model, connecting primary care, behavioral health and substance use treatment so families can access coordinated support in one place. Her journey from Southwest Solutions to Judson reflects decades of purposeful leadership rooted in faith, gratitude and service to families across southeast Michigan.
For Kalimah Johnson, founder and executive director of the SASHA Center, healing begins with culture, community and truth telling. A poet and clinical social worker, she has reshaped sexual assault support for Black women and girls by weaving literary arts and culturally specific practices into trauma-informed care. Her work has become a nationally recognized model for helping survivors reclaim voice, identity and joy.
Vincent Tilford, president and CEO of Hannan Center, champions dignity and visibility for older adults. He views aging as a social justice issue and works to reduce isolation while expanding opportunities for creative expression, community connection and mental well-being. Through his leadership, Hannan Center helps older adults stay engaged, build friendships and feel recognized as vital members of the community.
At MiSide Health, executive director James Ebaugh leads with a deep belief in coordinated care and the power of hope. His early work in street outreach and crisis response taught him how trauma, housing instability and mental health intersect in people’s lives. Today, he helps guide a behavioral health system designed to meet people where they are and surround them with stability and support. His leadership reflects a simple but profound truth: everyone deserves someone who will hold hope for them until they’re able to hold it themselves.
Together, these four leaders represent the many ways mental health heroes show up in southeast Michigan: through integrated clinical services, culturally rooted healing, creative aging programs and the coordination of housing and behavioral health supports. Each honoree works within systems that are often stretched, yet they continue to innovate, collaborate and advocate for those they serve.
“Our Mental Health Heroes are leaders who transform not only organizations, but lives,” says Cole. “Their work lifts up families, strengthens communities and moves the entire mental health system forward. We are proud to honor their impact and their vision.”
The Flinn Foundation is honored to recognize these four leaders in 2025. Their steadfast commitment, creativity and belief in the potential of every person exemplify the values Leonard W. Smith held dear. As they take time to reflect and renew, the Foundation celebrates not only what they have accomplished, but the possibility of all that lies ahead.
Learn more about the Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award and the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation.
As a 2025 recipient of the Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award from the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation, James Ebaugh, executive director at MiSide Health, is reflecting on his journey and preparing for a dedicated period of rest and renewal.
We caught up with him to talk about the recognition, his path and how he hopes to use his time away to strengthen both his organization and the region he serves.
Q: How did your work in mental health begin?
A: My path started in the classroom. I taught third, fourth and fifth grade and spent a lot of time one on one with kids who were struggling. Many were dealing with challenges at home, including mental health or housing instability. I realized the issues I cared about most weren’t just academic. They were emotional, relational and systemic. That led me back to school to get my MSW, and from then on, I was committed to mental health work.
Q: You’ve worked across several community organizations, including homelessness services and behavioral health. How did those roles shape your leadership?
A: My first job after earning my MSW was with Southwest Counseling Solutions, now MiSide Health. I worked in the homeless recovery services program doing clinical work, street outreach and crisis intervention. It was intense and humbling. I met people with complex trauma histories and learned how much housing and mental health are connected. You can’t stabilize your mental health if you don’t know where you’re sleeping that night.
Later, I moved into leadership roles managing housing programs and eventually directing the entire homeless recovery division. Those experiences helped me understand the bigger systems at play, including funding and partnerships, and how important it is to advocate for people who don’t always have a voice.
Q: What do you see as the biggest mental health challenges facing people in southeast Michigan?
A: Access is a big one, but so is fragmentation. People need housing support, clinical care, employment help or case management, but they often have to go to different places to get those things. When services aren’t coordinated, people fall through the cracks. We’ve seen improvements in how behavioral health providers, housing organizations and community agencies work together, but there is still a long way to go.
Another challenge is trauma. So many people we serve are carrying layers of it — childhood trauma, violence, homelessness, generational poverty. Trauma affects how people cope, how they trust and how they build relationships. Healing takes time and consistency.
Q: You often talk about the importance of hope. What does that mean in your work?
A: Hope is such a big part of what we do. When people come to us, they’re often worn down or overwhelmed, and they may not be able to see possibilities for themselves. Part of our job is to hold that hope until they can. When someone feels believed in, when they feel like someone is standing with them, it can shift how they see their future. I’ve had people come back years later and say that what made a difference was knowing someone was in their corner.
Q: You mentioned that funding is shifting in ways that affect your work. How are you approaching those challenges?
A: A lot of the funding that supported community mental health and housing over the last few years is going away. The dollars aren’t stretching as far and the needs haven’t decreased. We also don’t yet know what the new administration’s priorities will be. That creates uncertainty.
What I try to do is come back to the basics: look at what the community needs, look at what resources we have and figure out how to bridge that gap. That’s the challenge, but it’s also the work. I’ve always liked trying to solve problems and find creative ways to meet needs, even when the funding landscape shifts. It forces us to think differently and build stronger partnerships. You can’t control the environment, but you can respond to it in a thoughtful way.
Q: What does the Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award mean to you?
A: It’s a huge honor. I see it as recognition of the work our whole team does, not just me. Our staff are passionate, dedicated and incredibly talented. They show up for people every day, even when the work is hard. This award also reminded me how important it is to pause and reflect. Leadership can feel nonstop, and having structured time to step back is a real gift.
Q: How do you plan to use your time away?
A: I want to focus on wellness and reflection. I’m hoping to attend a men’s health retreat in California and spend time in nature. I’m planning a sweat lodge experience and want to visit hot springs in New Mexico as a form of healing and grounding. I’d also love to spend time with Navajo educators at a community school to learn how they integrate culture, identity and mental health into daily life. And if I can make it happen, I want to take a long-dreamed-of trip to Australia. More than anything, I want to come back centered and energized for the work ahead.
Learn more about Jamie Ebaugh and MiSide Health. Find out about the Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award and the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation.