Dr. Linda Hryhorczuk is no stranger to the challenges and rewards of mental health advocacy. A seasoned psychiatrist with decades of experience in both child and adolescent psychiatry and adult psychiatric care, she has dedicated her career to improving access to mental health services in southeast Michigan. Now, she is bringing her expertise back to the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation as a returning member of its Board of Trustees.
Dr. Hryhorczuk’s career in psychiatry has been long and varied. Initially specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry, she spent years working with young people in critical need of mental health support. Before retiring from full-time work in 2011, she served as the director of mental health services at the Wayne County Juvenile Detention Facility. There, she witnessed firsthand the struggles of vulnerable youth in the system and the gradual decline of essential mental health resources over time.
Since her retirement, Dr. Hryhorczuk has continued to work part-time at Corewell Health East in Grosse Pointe, where she now focuses primarily on adult psychiatric care. In her current role, she sees many patients struggling with serious mental health challenges, including substance use disorders and early-stage dementia. Her deep understanding of these issues, particularly the long-term consequences of insufficient mental health support for children, makes her a valuable voice on the Flinn Foundation board.
Dr. Hryhorczuk first joined the Flinn Foundation’s Board of Trustees in 2010 and served until 2018. She was originally recruited through her involvement with the Mental Health Association. When she completed her service on the Board, she remained a firm believer in the Foundation’s mission: to fund innovative mental health initiatives that help people access critical services.
As Dr. Hryhorczuk returns to the Board, she is eager to contribute once again. “I think it’s a very fine Foundation that does good work in the community,” she says, adding that she appreciates the Foundation’s focus on funding initiatives that help organizations become self-sustaining over time.
She credits fellow Board member Chief Judge Freddie Burton, Jr. with encouraging her to rejoin, and she is looking forward to lending her expertise in psychiatry to help shape funding decisions.
As she steps back into her role with the Flinn Foundation, Dr. Hryhorczuk is keenly aware of the ongoing crisis in mental health care. “I started a long time ago when we were probably seventh in the country with mental health in Michigan — that has evaporated,” she says.
One of her chief concerns is the decline in services for children and adolescents. “I have always felt that children were always at the bottom of the totem pole,” she explains, adding that the service gap for children still exists. Over the years, key programs — including school-based mental health services — have disappeared due to budget cuts, making it increasingly difficult for families to access care when they need it.
While she acknowledges that progress is being made in some areas, she believes much more needs to be done — especially in Detroit, where many families struggle to find timely mental health services. She stresses the importance of a comprehensive system that ensures children receive the appropriate level of care when they need it, whether through outpatient treatment, partial hospitalization, or more intensive psychiatric support.
As a board member, Dr. Hryhorczuk sees her role as twofold: ensuring that the Flinn Foundation continues to invest in meaningful mental health initiatives and advocating for a system that prioritizes access to care.
Beyond funding, she also emphasizes the critical role of advocacy in shaping mental health policy.
“Advocacy has to do with legislation, budgets and how money is spent,” she explains. Advocacy organizations play a vital role in ensuring that access to care remains a legislative priority. “If budgets are cut, an advocacy group will go forward and testify in the legislature that these things are important,” she adds, underscoring the need for continuous advocacy to safeguard mental health resources.
Despite the challenges ahead, Dr. Hryhorczuk remains committed to doing what she can to improve mental health care in Michigan. She also hopes to see a new generation of mental health professionals step up to meet the growing need.
With Dr. Hryhorczuk back on the Board, the Flinn Foundation gains not only a deeply experienced psychiatrist but also a passionate advocate for mental health care reform. Her return marks an important moment for the organization as it continues its mission to expand access to quality mental health services in Michigan.
Outside of her professional work, Dr. Hryhorczuk enjoys spending time with her family, which she describes as the central focus of her life. She and her husband are close to their immediate and extended family, appreciating the strong bonds they share.
Learn more about the Flinn Foundation. Visit flinnfoundation.org.
When the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation launched its five-year strategic plan, it set out to create meaningful, multi-sector collaborations that would improve the way mental health services are delivered across southeast Michigan. Now, as the plan’s timeframe comes to a close, the Foundation is taking a deliberate, thoughtful approach to evaluating its impact — and charting the next steps.
To help assess progress, the Flinn Foundation has partnered with Tyler Logan, the Founder and CEO of Black in Public Health — a locally based public health learning, evaluation, facilitation and consulting collective.
Logan brings experience in equity-centered approaches to public and behavioral health, philanthropy and systems change. His role isn’t just about gathering data — it’s about understanding the real-world impact of Flinn’s investments and ensuring that grantees and communities are supported in meaningful ways.
“A lot of that is how I plan to approach the evaluation — not only checking for where outcomes were achieved or not, but also looking at how certain grantees achieved them so that there can be almost a repository of different tools and resources that Flinn Foundation grantees use to do this work and make progress,” Logan says.
Unlike traditional philanthropy models, where funders often focus on rigid grant requirements and top-down decision-making, the Flinn Foundation embraces a trust-based approach. This means working alongside grantees, allowing for flexibility and recognizing that systemic change takes time.
Logan, who first engaged with Flinn while working on behavioral health diversion projects at the Wayne State University Center for Behavioral Health and Justice, saw firsthand how the Foundation’s commitment extended beyond simply funding initiatives.
“Andrea (Cole) and the Flinn Foundation were hands-on, in the sense of ‘We want to walk with you to make sure you have the support you need, the resources you need,’” Logan says. “Not just us as evaluators or learning partners, but everyone involved in the work, whether it was the city of Detroit, local government or other community-based organizations.”
This hands-on, collaborative approach is central to Flinn’s five strategic priorities, which focus on improving mental health services, fostering cross-system collaboration, measuring outcomes, decreasing stigma and informing policy. Logan’s evaluation will help determine how these priorities have played out in practice — what has worked, what challenges remain and where opportunities exist to deepen impact.
One of the biggest challenges in assessing impact is recognizing that progress in systems change, like mental health and youth justice transformation, is rarely immediate. Logan understands this well, having worked at multiple levels of the system — from frontline program implementation to high-level strategy and evaluation.
“Systems change, especially, takes years to actually happen,” he says. “I learned that firsthand, being a Flinn grantee at the time when we were doing work for years. And although progress was small, the incremental changes built upon one another and ultimately created larger impacts.”
For many grantees, the reality is that even well-funded initiatives face barriers, whether due to capacity constraints, shifting policy landscapes or the simple fact that deep-rooted issues take time to address. Part of Logan’s work involves capturing these challenges in an equitable, culturally responsive way to ensure that future strategies reflect the realities on the ground.
With data collection underway — including surveys, focus groups and direct conversations with grantees — Flinn expects to have a clearer picture of its progress before the end of this year. From there, the Foundation will use these insights to refine its approach and determine the best ways to support behavioral health initiatives, service delivery, youth advocacy and justice reforms, and cross-sector collaborations moving forward.
While Logan’s current work with Flinn runs through August, the nature of this work means that conversations and evaluations will continue beyond that point. As grantees and partners share their insights, the findings will help shape not just Flinn’s next strategic phase but also the broader philanthropic landscape in Southeast Michigan.
“Ultimately, the work we’re doing today will help plant seeds that are fruitful for the outcomes of the future,” Logan says.
As the Flinn Foundation moves forward, one thing remains clear: systems change is a long-term effort. The Foundation’s willingness to evaluate, adapt and support its partners is what will allow its impact to continue growing, long after the five-year plan officially concludes.
Learn more about the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation. Visit flinnfoundation.org.
George A. Nicholson III, a former dedicated trustee of the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation, passed away on November 24, 2024. A lifelong resident of Grosse Pointe, he applied his sharp financial expertise — honed during his distinguished career at Arthur Andersen — to numerous volunteer leadership roles, always with a deep sense of purpose and service.
His work with Franklin Wright Settlements exposed him to the intersection of socioeconomic challenges and mental health, sparking his commitment to the Flinn Foundation. Serving as a trustee from 2010 to 2019, Nicholson remained actively engaged long after his tenure, championing its mission and initiatives.
“George was a dedicated Board member and a huge supporter of the Flinn Foundation’s work, so much so that he followed our work long after he retired from the Board,” says Andrea Cole, President and CEO of the Flinn Foundation. “He always joined us for our December Board meetings for lunch and really stayed close to our work. He was just a joy.”
Nicholson was especially moved when the Flinn Foundation announced the inaugural Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Awards in honor of his longtime friend and mentor. “He couldn’t have applauded any more loudly,” recalls his wife of 64 years, Nancy Nicholson. “He was so excited and was not going to miss that award announcement for anything in the world.”
A meticulous and devoted trustee, Nicholson often kept thick packets of documents covered in sticky notes, ensuring he stayed informed about the Foundation’s evolving strategic priorities. “I was amazed at how rapidly he became so loyal to its purpose,” Nancy says. Even during his final hospitalization, he insisted he would be well enough to attend the December Flinn Foundation Board meeting.
For the past decade, Nancy personally drove him to those December meetings, witnessing firsthand the camaraderie he shared with fellow trustees. “From an adjacent room, I could hear the laughter and the cackling among good friends, having a good time while they served. It was the resetting of friendship for the sake of a very sound program. If you are nourished when you sit in a meeting, it’s a pretty good indication of how much the work means to you.”
Though his journey with congestive heart failure was long, Nicholson remained optimistic, fully expecting to return to “business as usual.” Reaching the milestone of 90 years brought him immense joy.
Recognizing his thoughtful and steadfast contributions, Cole reflects, “We will miss George.”
In December 2024, Dana Lasenby became the newest member of the Flinn Foundation Board of Trustees — making good on her goal of working with “people with good hearts” and especially Chief Judge Freddie Burton, Jr., whose work she has long admired.
In truth, Lasenby brings to the Flinn Foundation considerable experience as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director at Oakland Community Health Network (OCHN), where she applies her decades of experience in health care administration as a master’s level psychologist. Prior to joining OCHN, Lasenby served as Chief Clinical Officer at Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network.
We spent time with Lasenby to learn more about what she will bring to the Board — and the colorful way she likes to unwind at the end of a long day.
Q: You have decades of clinical experience in mental health support. Tell us more about where you started out.
I have been truly fortunate to work in the clinical arena. My first “real” job at 23, 24 years old was on a locked psychiatric unit at what was then Detroit Mercy Hospital. I was working with individuals who were at some of the sickest times of their lives, so vulnerable, so in need. I started wondering what we could do to help people, so they are not rotating through the system, really providing the help they need and improving the quality of their lives.
Q: What did you learn that helped shape the rest of your career?
Over the years, I have been able to work face-to-face with individuals we serve in the role of a clinician, an advocate, and as a system innovator. I am often frustrated when I hear people say: “the system is broken.” There are hundreds of thousands of people who work in the public behavioral health system and give their hearts every day to serving people.
Are there improvements to be made? Yes. Are there things we need to do better? Absolutely.
Serving on the Flinn Foundation Board allows us to impact change and be solution-focused, leaning on input from a diverse group of subject matter experts. This includes clinical, operational, and administrative experiences, as well as from experiences as a community member and seeing what is needed. I am truly honored to use my voice to contribute to the amazing work that the Flinn Foundation is already doing.
Q: Where do you see Michigan stand as a leader in supporting and innovating in the mental health space?
The pandemic brought important awareness to the mental health needs of our community. Not just the people we typically care for, but everyone struggling with isolation, depression, or grief. Unfortunately, several devastating tragedies also forced Michigan to pay attention to mental health differently than some other states. When you look at the Oxford shooting, for example, and the shooting at Michigan State University and most recently in (Rochester) splash center, two of those incidents occurred in Oakland County.
I am proud to say Oakland Community Health Network’s administrative costs are less than 7%. This is a benchmark that should continue to be a priority to ensure funding is dedicated to services for people. We are doing the most with the least and are good stewards of our resources.
We have a number of new service programs being introduced, and my hope is that we integrate these initiatives in a way that promotes best practices, while also complementing existing services focused on the most vulnerable people. It can be a challenge to find a balance between new and existing programs, while also taking prevention into consideration. How do we make sure that we are preventing people from going to the most extremes when they say: “I told you I needed help.” We need to ensure the most vulnerable people we are serving, who cannot really navigate on their own, have the support and resources they need. That means not just the people we serve, but the people who serve the people we serve. I always want to advocate for them.
Q: What role do you think philanthropy can play in supporting programming and best practices?
I think setting priorities is critical to philanthropy and program assistance. One, you want to give to programs you want to see continue or see created because you know it is going to give to the community and make a difference. Two, how do you make sure that you are getting the return you want from your investment? Even though you are given dollars, you have to be good stewards of those dollars. The Flinn Foundation is about giving, supporting and setting organizations up for success. I think Flinn is looking for good community investments, making sure the organizations are good at doing what they are doing and healthy to receive funding. Also, how do we support organizations to be fiscally sound and whole?
Q: What do you think people absolutely need to know about mental health?
Mental health is about all of us. At any given point in life, we can be impacted directly or indirectly by our mental health. I tell my team this a lot: give each other grace because you just do not know what someone is going through. That does not mean we are not accountable, but that our mental health fluctuates and changes. For some, that shift is tough, while others are more resilient.
Mental health is our health. We must stop separating our brains, hearts, spirits and souls. Sometimes we are in physical pain because we are in emotional pain, and sometimes we are in emotional pain because we are in physical pain. You have to treat the whole person.
I want people to know they do not have to struggle in silence. There are resources available. Just call 988. When I started here a few years ago, I realized I would not have known about OCHN had I not applied for my role as CEO. I continue to work hard at increasing community awareness about our services. I want people to know who we are and what we are about. We are here to help the community and empower people. Being empowered means that if I need some help, I will reach out and get the help I need. Help is available.
Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?
I have a new grandbaby; she is my first. So, I take advantage of every opportunity to visit her in North Carolina until I can convince her parents to move to Michigan. I have two children who are young adults. My daughter has a Ph.D. in developmental psychology and my son has an associate degree in criminal justice. I am so proud of the loving, caring people they are — and their strong personalities. I tell my husband we did an excellent job.
I also do a few things that would surprise people. I like to read good books. I like to watch trash TV sometimes. Lately, I have been coloring for relaxation and to unwind. I do buy coloring books and give them out when I go to various places and events, because I think kids should have coloring books. Take the technology away and color!
I also give out a lot of coloring books to adults. Their response is usually positive, and they often say: “I haven’t colored in a long time!” Again, I encourage people to color more. It slows you down and makes you refocus. It is just very soothing.
Learn more about the Board of Trustees at the Flinn Foundation.
The Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award, established by the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation in 2024, celebrates the legacy of Leonard W. Smith, a philanthropic visionary whose leadership significantly improved mental health services across Michigan. This prestigious award honors nonprofit leaders who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to mental health care, offering them a unique opportunity to step away from daily responsibilities to focus on personal renewal and organizational growth.
Award recipients were recognized immediately following the Flinn Foundation Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, at the Detroit Athletic Club. The inaugural honorees represent outstanding leadership across southeast Michigan’s mental health services landscape:
“These extraordinary leaders exemplify the heart and dedication that drive meaningful change in mental health care,” says Andrea Cole, President and CEO of the Flinn Foundation. “Their tireless efforts support some of southeast Michigan’s most vulnerable populations, and this award recognizes their remarkable contributions while ensuring they have the opportunity to recharge and continue their vital work.”
The award provides resources to support both personal and professional growth, allowing recipients to take a restorative break while fostering leadership development within their organizations. Each honoree receives support to step away for one month, giving them time to renew while their organizations develop new leadership capabilities in their absence.
Nanci Hambrick, Project Manager at the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice at the Wayne State University School of Social Work, attended the award ceremony and reflected on its significance.
“This award is extraordinary because it focuses on true restoration and sustainability for these leaders,” says Hambrick. “The recipients are not only being given four weeks of paid time away to recharge, but the Foundation also provided funds for their organizations to cover extra responsibilities during their absence. This ensures that these leaders can step away without worrying about the strain on their teams — a rare and deeply thoughtful approach.”
The Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award embodies Smith’s lifelong commitment to mentorship, service, and innovation. By honoring his legacy, the Flinn Foundation ensures his impact on mental health and philanthropy continues to inspire and empower leaders across Southeast Michigan.
Learn more about the Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award and each of the inaugural honorees at flinnfoundation.org.
Meredith Reese says she lives her passion every day as chief operating officer at Vista Maria, a Dearborn Heights-based nonprofit organization that provides support and trauma services for youth and families in southeast Michigan. She also says she was “speechless” when she learned she was selected as a Flinn Foundation Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award honoree.
We checked in with Reese to learn more and discover how she wants to recharge and reset, thanks to the Mental Health Hero Award.
Q: You have advanced to the chief operations position at Vista Maria. What have you learned about yourself through this process?
Reese: Being in mental health has always been my passion. I was born and raised in Kentucky and I worked at a psychiatric hospital there for numerous years before I came to Michigan in 2003.
When I found Vista Maria, I learned that the power of family is real. We can’t give up on family, regardless of what has happened. Kids tell me no matter what mom has done or dad has done, they’re still my mom. They’re still my dad. You can’t take that away from anyone.
What we glean from folks in our support system is whether it’s mom or dad or an aunt, grandma, a family friend or whomever — family are those who are trustworthy, reliant and give grace because we may make a lot of mistakes. When we really emphasize those family connections or social support for our kids and for our families, that’s where we get the ultimate superpower because those things equal resilience. How do we bounce back when life gets hard? We lean on others to help us through.
Q: Your background is in marriage and family therapy. What skills did you learn through that speciality that you use in your role right now?
Reese: Communication and stating the issue at hand. Not hitting below the belt. Then, how do we set a time limit? We have to be strategic with what’s the problem, the root cause, what I own, what you own and how we need to work together toward the solution, so let’s put a time limit on this.
Q: How does it feel to be recognized by the Flinn Foundation as a Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero?
Reese: This means so much. But this is what I do. This is day-to-day work for me. I didn’t do anything special, but you know, to hear I was recognized, it just really hit home. With all the other recipients, we continue to do this amazing work. My husband jokes that I need to slow down and stop being superwoman. But then he says, wait a minute, why would you do that?
But this is a very humbling experience for me. I feel like my work has been a calling for me and this is the right thing to do. I want to make sure that everyone knows that Vista Maria is here for the community.
Q: The Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award comes with a month-long break to re-energize. What plans do you have for that time?
Reese: I think about taking a little time without what I call all the “noise” and what it means to be present in the stillness. I think I will take joy in planning a vacation with my husband. There are some wellness resorts in Hawaii that I want to partake in.
One thing I do recognize is that I am doing family things but am I truly present? There’s a difference in just being there with everyone and being truly present in the moment with my loved ones. I want to take this time not only for myself but with my husband and then with my son, who’s 13. My mom and my sister are in Kentucky so I want to spend time with them also.
Q: That connects back to what you said earlier. We don’t stand alone. But those family connections just don’t happen.
Reese: They take work, yes.
Q: How will this break support your own mental health?
Reese: I want it to be a little bit of ‘what does Meredith want to do today and this week?’ I’m going to do my walking, my massages. I want to be intentional and say these are the things I want to do as I make my list. It’s Meredith’s personal wellness list.
Q: If you were not serving as COO of Vista Maria, what other job do you dream of doing?
Reese: I’m a big fan of dance — dance theater, choreography and expressive body movement have always interested me. I cannot carry a tune whatsoever, but I love that energy and motivation. That carries a lot of weight for me.
Q: What do you do on a regular basis to care for your own mental health?
Reese: It’s me watching reality cooking shows on the couch, comfy in a jogging outfit. I love baking competitions!
About Vista Maria: Vista Maria traces its roots back to 1883, when it was founded by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd as a refuge for young women in need. Over the years, it has evolved into a multifaceted nonprofit organization dedicated to helping vulnerable girls and young women navigate the effects of trauma, neglect, and abuse.
Today, Vista Maria offers a wide range of services, including residential treatment, foster care and adoption support, education and transitional living programs. Through specialized counseling, vocational training and ongoing mentorship, the organization empowers youth to develop resilience, confidence and a clear path toward independence. By combining its rich historical legacy of compassionate care with evidence-based, trauma-informed methods, Vista Maria continues to uplift those it serves, ensuring they have the tools and support necessary to build healthier, more successful futures.
Learn more about the Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award and each of the inaugural honorees at flinnfoundation.org.
Kenyatta Stephens, CEO of Black Family Development, Inc. (BFDI), has been honored with the Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award by the Flinn Foundation, celebrating her visionary leadership and dedication to creating a culture of hope and healing in Detroit.
We caught up with Stephens to learn more about her plans for the month-long break that comes with the Mental Health Hero Award — and why caring for mental health is important.
Q: Share some information about BFDI and your role.
Stephens: I have the honor of working at a comprehensive family counseling organization that absolutely loves children, youth and families, headquartered in the city of Detroit, and believes that the work that we do as an organization and in our partnerships should create an atmosphere of hope and healing.
I have the opportunity as CEO to shepherd and steward over the lives of incredible men and women who get up every day to create an atmosphere of hope and healing for people in this community who are often underserved, under heard, underrepresented — but yet are resilient, powerful and ingenious in their own right.
Q: What personal goal do you have for BFDI?
Stephens: There are two. Most of our services are provided for families who come in need of some support in treatment arenas or family reunification arenas. We do have prevention for mental health and substance abuse — good programs that do great work.
I want to maintain that, but then expand our array so that young people, particularly 18-24, who are struggling to find their way, begin to understand the kind of career and post-secondary education pathways available to them, which right now seem pretty elusive for a lot of our folks — not because they’re in a crisis, but because they’re not sure of which way to go next. I would like to see opportunities to partner with organizations like Black United Fund who are doing work in medical school preparation and aviation for young people.
My second goal is to make sure that we have some really robust succession planning in place so that at some point when it’s time for me to transition — although I love this place and I’m not making plans to do that anytime soon. I think it requires spending ample time to really equip a cadre of leaders to take the organization to the next level and understanding how to do that in a way that makes the leadership nimble. This award, generously bestowed upon us by Andrea Cole and the Board of Directors of the Flinn Foundation, is helping me to achieve that second goal.
During my sabbatical we will be upwardly promoting existing members of our staff to take on new positions so they can get accustomed with dipping their toes in the water to what that responsibility looks like. I’m going to use the remainder of the money for the organization to avail executive coaching to those leaders so that there is a cohort mentality for those leaders. Not just the ones that I’m touching, but also another segment of the organization to go through leadership training so that in operations, executive leadership and in the fiscal components, we have succession planning and we have coaching and professional development that sets the agency’s leadership on a pathway prepared for any transitions that will occur in the future.
Q: What was your first thought when you learned that you were a recipient of the Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award?
Stephens: Gratitude and a shock. If I’m being honest and transparent, in my prayer time, I said, Lord, I really love this work, but I really need a little break. I don’t even know if I’ve told Andrea Cole this story, but it was a week later that she told me about her nomination.
I had no idea that the Foundation was going to be so gracious to not award one, but four awards. I was already floored in gratitude. And then now fast forward to the fact that there were four recipients. It really did leave me speechless.
Q: You talked about how the award break will impact your organization. But what about you?
Stephens: There were three three things that were paramount when I was thinking through this question during the application. The first is spending time with my mom. My mom is very important to me, but I also don’t take any day for granted, every single day as a gift. This is going to allow me to do that.
The second thing is that my husband and I will be celebrating 25 years of marriage. In our 18 years of being parents, we’ve only taken two trips alone. This allows us to have the third.
Thirdly is self care and reflection. In my times of quiet prayer and meditation, things are so clear about next steps and next directions. I’ll be doing things as simple as getting massages or spa treatments for my mom and I, or being able to travel. It’s a sense of clearing the mind to what this next phase of my life is for.
I’m looking forward to succession planning in the transformation of this amazing organization as we head toward 50 years — I really believe that great things are ahead. I want to be clear in my vision, clear in my focus, clear in my leadership to help transition us to this next iteration of this organization here in Detroit.
Q: You like to read, bike and camp with your family. Do you have favorite spots for each of those things?
Stephens: My favorite place to read, I have two. I live in Farmington Hills and my first place, I would say is at one of the libraries near the fireplace. My second is at home in front of my own fireplace, on a couch with my family and maybe a candle nearby. My favorite places to bike are a bike path and a walking trail in the West Bloomfield area near Pine Lake and Orchard Lake that is just absolutely beautiful, just gorgeous. I love water — I love all things water. And camping, I love Tawas because again, it’s near water and that’s the most beautiful space for me.
Q: What other ways do you care for your own mental health?
Stephens: Every day that I can, I stop for a few minutes and sit at a lake, whether it’s the one right on 11 Mile between Beck and Wixom roads or one lakeshore in Novi. I just turn off my car and music and just sit and just quietly meditate, pray and just clear my mind for a little bit before I start my day. The other thing is that I love working out, but I am terribly undisciplined. I have been blessed with this amazing personal trainer, and she has been in my life now since September, So a very brief period of time, but she’s everything that I could have asked for and needed.
About Black Family Development, Inc: BFDI is a private, nonprofit family counseling agency dedicated to strengthening and enhancing the lives of children, youth and families in Detroit and surrounding communities. BFDI offers a comprehensive range of culturally sensitive services, including juvenile justice interventions, mental health support, substance abuse treatment, family preservation programs and positive youth development initiatives. The organization emphasizes community engagement and restorative practices, partnering with local entities to foster safe, nurturing and vibrant environments.
Learn more about the Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award and each of the inaugural honorees at flinnfoundation.org.
Celia Thomas is chief operating officer at Alternatives for Girls, a Detroit-based nonprofit organization that helps girls and young women at risk of violence and homelessness access the support and resources they need to grow and make positive choices for their lives.
She’s also an honoree of the inaugural Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award from the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation. We caught up with Thomas to learn more about her, the work she does, and her thoughts on this award.
Q: How does it feel to be recognized as a Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero?
Thomas: Oh my goodness! I’m surprised. I’ve always tended to be someone in the background and just taking a huge leadership and supportive role — and to have such an award is pretty amazing.
Q: I’m sure there are lots of heartwarming success stories at Alternatives for Girls in the past 37 years. Is there anything you want people to know that they may not know?
Thomas: There are so many. In our after-school programming we had a family of, I believe it was six girls with a young mom, a single parent. They all made it through our program and one of them became a Detroit city council person. I could go on and on.
Q: The Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero award comes with something unique — a month-long break to “relax, restore and return refreshed and re-energized.” How do you plan to spend this time?
Thomas: We leaders tend to be highly motivated, hugely focused and just moving, moving to get an agenda completed. Our roles tend to be very demanding and most of us are totally invested in the organization’s mission. And, for many of us, it’s our lifetime mission as well, to be responsive to people in need, to move agendas related to the human services field and those related to what we call the social determinants of health, for example.
So when I contemplated a break initially I thought really? What does that look like, exactly? I have to be honest. For me, most times when I take a vacation, the laptop goes with me. I tell my staff that I need about three days to calm down and then be on vacation. And I need a day and a half to ramp back up. So to have a month off is huge for someone like me. It’s huge!
It gives me that opportunity, that window to shut it down and literally focus on nothing. Nothing. Which means rest, relaxation and restoration.
I plan to leave the country. I am an immigrant from Jamaica, the Caribbean, and I don’t get home a lot since my parents are gone. So I plan to just go home and sit there. We don’t have internet, and that’s OK.
Q: Why do you think a break is good for mental health?
Thomas: When you think about sleep and the impact that has on the brain and the body, it’s huge. I firmly believe that having the chance to totally shut down the brain, having the chance to not think about the things that bring income and, even in the best sense, the mission — just to shut down is really rejuvenating. Having the chance to sleep, achieve deep sleep more frequently, it’s all contributing to mental health and wellness.
Q: What do you think girls today need in order to be the strong women of tomorrow?
Thomas: I definitely believe that there are inequities in our society today that lend themselves to challenges for girls and young women. They need safety, people they can connect with, to talk to, to listen, to play with, to just be around who can echo and support their feelings and help them trust and believe that things will get better over time. They need safety; they need stability.
Q: What is your best personal asset that you bring to your role?
Thomas: I always heard I was like my dad. He never met a stranger. He could get along with business owners and the man pushing a coconut cart on the street. This is a trait that I’ve absolutely inherited — the ability to meet people where they are. I show up as a leader and I’m never afraid of being a follower.
Q: What do you do regularly to care for your own mental health?
Thomas: Over the past 10 years, I’ve really focused on allowing myself to just be in the moment, wherever that is, whatever that is, to catch the teeny, tiny moments so I can restore and rejuvenate. I’ve leaned into that more over the last 10 years than I did in the — let’s be real — four decades before that.
Alternatives for Girls (AFG) is a Detroit-based nonprofit established over 37 years ago as a community-driven response to rising concerns about young girls in vulnerable situations. Initially formed to address issues such as exploitation, homelessness and lack of access to education, AFG has evolved into a comprehensive support system for at-risk girls and young women. Its mission focuses on empowering them to make positive choices and achieve their potential.
AFG’s core programs include outreach, prevention programs, shelter services, early childhood education and housing stability. Through these efforts, AFG has transformed countless lives, helping girls and young women achieve safety, stability and success.
Learn more about the Leonard W. Smith Mental Health Hero Award and each of the inaugural honorees at flinnfoundation.org.