As people enter their 60s, 70s and beyond, they can often feel overlooked in their communities – and it can have a major impact on their mental health. In fact, according to the National Institute on Aging, studies show that social isolation and loneliness are linked to higher rates of depression in this age group. The issue is so critical and under-recognized that the U.S. Surgeon General felt compelled to declare loneliness and isolation a national epidemic earlier this year.
This epidemic is perhaps most represented by the older generation – something the folks at the Hannan Center, which is part of the Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation, know well. Combatting isolation and improving the quality of life for senior men and women across the state has been its purpose since 1925.
“Our mission is to preserve the dignity and enhance the quality of life of older adults in Michigan,” says Melissa Draughn, director of social work at the Hannan Center. “All of our programming aims to help older adults age as creatively and independently as possible.”
Programs include mental health counseling, case management and a weekly telephone reassurance program to combat isolation. Those with dementia can attend DayBreak, an adult day center. In addition, the Americorps program, My Neighborhood Connections, provides social work services to help older adults age in place.
Years ago, Draughn says, to focus even more on the mental health of older adults, the Hannan Center applied for a grant from the Flinn Foundation to help establish its mental health counseling program, Active Connections. Active Connections is an eight-week program where a senior works with a social worker to discuss problems that could be negatively affecting their life, set goals for the future and help identify ways to connect to others. The goal is to help improve coping skills and provide emotional support for seniors with depression, anxiety and social isolation.
“There is still a stigma related to mental health and it can be difficult for people to reach out for help,” Draughn says.
The program is free, and seniors can conduct their sessions over the phone for greater convenience and increased access.
Draughn says that while isolation and depression among the senior population has always been an issue, the pandemic has made it more pronounced – even years later.
“It isolated a lot of people, older adults in particular, and it is important not to overlook the effect that has on mental well-being.”
She hopes that the Hannan Center can continue its mission to provide resources, support and companionship to the senior community for another 100 years.
For Carla Pretto, the new executive director of the Association for Children’s Mental Health, the organization’s mission is truly personal.
The statewide family-run organization (and Flinn Foundation grantee), which was founded in 1989 by two moms, focuses on helping Michigan children get access to emotional, behavioral and mental health services and support. The need for those services – particularly for children – is something that Pretto has experienced personally.
In 2017, Pretto was working as an infectious diseases researcher when one of the worst things a parent can imagine happened. Her 13-year-old daughter, Taylor, died by suicide. Taylor had suffered from depression for years, but it was often masked by her desire to please everyone. Like many kids, social and academic pressure compounded her feelings of helplessness.
“Her depression got in the way of her seeing how important she was to everyone who loved her, how needed she was, and how what she was feeling in that moment didn’t have to be her ‘forever,’” Pretto says.
It’s a feeling Pretto understood and experienced herself in the aftermath of her daughter’s death.
“I had those feelings of not wanting to be here, of not being sure I could make it through,” she says. “If I didn’t have my other children, I don’t know that I would have been able to get help and push through. Life had to go on for them.”
And life went on for Pretto too, but with a new calling.
She pivoted from her career as a scientist and enrolled in a registered nurse program. Her goal was to use her experience and knowledge to somehow make a difference in the lives of youth like Taylor.
Early on, she became aware of the ACMH and the work they did to help local families who were struggling with mental health challenges. She’d worked with Jane Shank, the ACMH’s previous executive director, and thought, “that’s my goal job.”
Pretto pivoted from her nursing degree to a position as a psychiatric nurse. She had her eye on completing her Ph.D. while immersing herself in the realities of patient needs. The work was challenging and rewarding. She enjoyed making a difference in small ways, working with families one-on-one. But when she found out that Shank was stepping down as executive director of ACMH, no one was surprised that she jumped at the chance to realize her dream job.
“My co-workers said, ‘we know you weren’t going to stay here. You need to do big things.’”
And that’s exactly what she has planned.
She’s not diving in and reinventing the already laudable work the ACMH and its staff does, she says. She knows that the role they have working with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on statewide training for its Parent Support and Youth Peer Support projects is critical and consuming.
She knows that the ACMH, like everyone working in the mental health space, needs more resources to do more work in a community that’s greatly in need.
“We’re well-funded, but the need is so great. We need to have more staff to do more trainings across the state,” Pretto says.
For now, though, she’s focused on developing ACMH’s key management staff to make sure they feel fully supported in their leadership roles. She says she relies heavily on them and wants to learn what they need to continue to excel in their jobs. That support will mean the ACMH can help more Michigan families.
Already, she has some ideas for the future, though.
She has her sights set on partnering with the MDHHS on creating a crisis toolkit and developing de-escalation techniques that can be taught to families and inform providers of the needs of families that have experienced crisis. That important work will be informed by families with lived experience, she notes. And thanks to her research background, she’s itching to get more data on the population in need of ACMH’s services, such as their social determinants of health. She wants an independent review of the organization’s diversity and how it can best interact with a diverse population of families.
“The issue of mental health affects everyone equally, but the help and services are not available or utilized by everyone equally. That has to change.”
For Pretto, the dream isn’t just to lead the ACMH in its mission.
“I wish this wasn’t my story, that my daughter had not completed suicide,” she says. “But my job now is to help prevent that from being the story of other youth like Taylor, of other families like mine.”
Thanks to a grant from the Flinn Foundation, Samaritas has been able to expand its offerings to include specialized substance use treatment for teens.
Since 1934, Samaritas has been committed to helping at-risk families through some of their toughest challenges and biggest needs. These assists run the gamut – from substance use disorder treatment, behavioral health, foster care and adoption, refugee assistance, affordable living, disability services, senior care and more.
So, it’s no surprise that Samaritas serves more than 13,000 people each year through more than 40 programs at more than 65 locations, making it one of the largest health and human service agencies in the state of Michigan. But even with a full plate, the team at Samaritas realized they needed to do more.
In 2020, Samaritas noticed an overwhelming need for their treatment to be tailored to adolescents. To do so, Samaritas applied for a $75,000 grant from the Flinn Foundation in July 2021 to start an outreach clinic in Oakland County.
“Establishing supports for young people in our community is critical,” says Andrea Cole, Flinn Foundation’s executive director and CEO.
The goals of the clinic include providing a comprehensive, community-based continuum of care for adolescents up to age 21 suffering from a substance use disorder and/or co-occurring mental health illnesses, improving access to evidence-based treatment and holistic care for at-risk adolescents and their families, and increasing mental health provider workforce capacity in southeast Michigan, to name a few.
“Through our work with at-risk families across the spectrum of services we provide, we invest our resources in improving the health and welfare of Michigan’s most vulnerable children to mitigate the devastating cycle of challenges stemming from trauma, illness, inequality and poverty,” says Jennifer Keuten, MSW, LMSW, Samaritas’ clinical manager for Southeast Michigan.
“Flinn Foundation’s support of our project makes this plan feasible and is an innovative approach to expanding workforce capacity to underserved communities,” Keuten says. Our partnership with the Flinn Foundation ensures that more adolescents access treatment quickly, saving lives and building bright futures.”
Each year, the Ethel & James Flinn Foundation provides grants to southeast Michigan organizations who are working to promote mental health awareness and provide mental health services.
Meet the newly-appointed treasurer of the Flinn Foundation Board of Trustees.
When Victor Hicks II, the newly appointed treasurer on the Flinn Foundation’s Board of Trustees, was growing up, mental illness was not openly discussed.
“Growing up in the black community, mental illness was not a thing. It was not accepted. But I always saw people having problems, though not necessarily directed to resources,” Hicks says. “My wife helped me see this because in her family, they did grow up acknowledging mental illness and she has a history of mental illness on her side of the family.”
Today, access to mental health resources and the stigma surrounding mental illness still impact the Black community, but Hicks is hoping to change that through his work with the Flinn Foundation.
Here, Hicks shares about his journey to Flinn and how he keeps himself grounded when life gets tough.
Hicks, a Romulus native, graduated from the University of Michigan’s Ross Business School and has been a certified financial planner since 1995. He was the first person in his family to graduate college, and he’s been the owner and managing principal of Lumin Financial, LLC since 1998. He spends his days helping clients plan for their futures.
“We essentially have two types of clients. They are either individuals and their families, or they are small businesses,” Hicks says of his company. “For our individuals, we would work to help you accomplish all your personal financial goals and to save for retirement, so you can live on your terms.” He even assists with estate planning.
Hicks is passionate about his work, and he wanted to be able to put his professional skills to use serving the community. That’s where his work with the Flinn Foundation began.
After meeting Flinn board member Duane Tarnacki through a mutual client, Hicks recognized an opportunity to bring both is personal and professional background together to help a cause that mattered to him.
“I’m passionate about what we do at the Flinn Foundation because it’s serving people first. Mental health is important to my family, my friends and so many people.”
When Hicks isn’t working with clients at Lumin Financial, LLC, or serving on the Flinn Foundation Board of Trustees, he is spending time with family and friends, watching sports — football is his favorite — and catching up on his favorite shows. While he loves to laugh, Hicks admits he rarely watches comedies and prefers procedural crime dramas like NCIS, which is his favorite show.
Hicks understands the importance of keeping himself grounded when life gets hectic. He finds peace through yoga, taking walks around the neighborhood and chatting with a confidant. He and his wife, Emily, love spending time on the water, too. The couple, who has been married for 32 years and have a 30-year-old son and 27-year-old daughter, love visiting Lake Michigan or simply hanging out by their pool at home.
“I love being around water for some peace and balance,” he says.
When it comes to protecting his own mental health, Hicks says, “I work at avoiding or minimizing my time around negative people, toxic people. I like to increase how much time I spend around people who are compassionate, who are loving, who are caring.”
When life is hard, Hicks says faith and thinking positively helps him — and can help others, too.
“We are either in a storm, going into a storm or coming out of a storm. We are usually in one of those three positions,” he says. “Life does get hard, but I would encourage people to get themselves connected with the right people, the right resources. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
Changes in behavior and mood could be a sign your child is struggling with suicidal thoughts.
Losing a child to suicide is a parent’s worst nightmare. Yet, each year 5,000 families mourn the death of their children to suicide.
The risk of suicide, which is the third leading cause of death among those ages 15-24, has increased in the past 12 years. In fact, back in 2011, 16% of high schoolers reported serious thoughts of suicide in the last year. That number rose to 22% in 2021, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which was released in March 2023.
Why the uptick?
“A lot of the teens that I work with that do have suicidal ideations, a lot of it is due to stressors at home and at school,” Cassidy Slade, Psy.D., LLP, of the Murray Center for Behavioral Wellness, tells Metro Parent in the May/June article on warning signs of youth suicide.
From academic stress to bullying to the pressure of meeting their parents’ expectations, kids are struggling and many are suffering from depression, which can manifest in a depressed mood, eating changes, low motivation and for some, anger and irritability.
While depression is a risk factor for suicide, there are many warning signs to look out for, Slade notes, including isolation, impulsivity, and making statements such as, “I would be better off dead.”
As parents, you may not know where to turn for help. That’s where a mental health professional comes in. He or she can help guide you and help assess your child’s suicide risk. In doing so, Slade says there are three things to consider: plan, access and intent, Slade says. Do they have a plan? Do they have access to that plan? Do they want to act on the plan?
Safety plans, which vary depending on the child, can then be put into place to help kids cope at home and avoid hospitalization, which may be needed for some.
“When it comes to the safety plan, we are just trying to put some time in between having this thought and getting a material or item to act on this thought,” Slade says.
For more information on the warning signs of youth suicide and how to help your child, read the full article at MetroParent.com.
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
A tutorial is available to help familiarize you with the process
The deadline for all applications was Thursday, June 29, 2023 – before 4:00PM
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
The Ethel and James Flinn Foundation is proud to announce new Board appointments among its Board of Trustees. Susan Perlin is the Vice Chairman, Victor Hicks II is the Treasurer and the Honorable Freddie G. Burton, Jr. has been appointed Chairman of the Board.
“We are so pleased to have these incredible professionals help us with our mission to improve mental health awareness and access in southeast Michigan,” said Andrea Cole, Flinn’s President and CEO, who was also appointed Board Secretary.
Susan B. Perlin, CPA, is a retired partner at Plante Moran, one of the country’s largest public accounting and business advisory firms. Perlin was the leader of Plante Moran’s not-for-profit industry group and has 38 years of experience serving nonprofit organizations.
“The Foundation was a client of mine when I was with Plante Moran,” Perlin said, “and I always admired the work the Foundation was doing and the active engagement of all of the Board members.”
Victor H. Hicks II is the Owner and Managing Principal of Lumin Financial, LLC. He’s been a certified financial planner since 1995, specializing in running employee benefits plans and managing retirement assets.
“We’re excited to have Sue and Victor step up into these new roles on our Board,” Cole said. “And Judge Burton has been a long-time partner in our mental health advocacy mission. His appointment to Chairman of the Board is a natural progression of his dedicated service.”
Judge Burton has been a member of the Wayne County Probate Court since 1987 and served as Chief Judge from 1990 through 1997. He has partnered with the Flinn Foundation on the Wayne County Jail Mental Health Initiative, which works to get nonviolent offenders mental health assistance instead of incarceration.
“I am honored to be the Chairman of the Board,” Burton said. “The Board members bring diverse skills with mutual focus on the Flinn mission. This combination gives me great confidence that we are moving in the right direction for the delivery of better mental health services in our community.”
Burton replaces Duane L. Tarnacki, one of the state’s top nonprofit attorneys, as Chairman of the Board.
“Duane is one the foundation’s longest-serving Board members, and we thank him for his exceptional leadership and continued dedication,” Cole said. “We’re grateful he’s still a Flinn Board trustee. We are grateful to all of our trustees for their generosity in offering their time and talents to our organization and its important work.”
Does bullying contribute to youth suicide? It’s not as simple as you think, says a local expert.
Bullies have been lurking in school hallways and on playgrounds forever, and while bullying is nothing new, the places where it takes place have expanded online. In fact, dosomething.org notes that 37% of kids ages 12-17 have been victims of cyberbullying.
“More than half of my patients have had some bullying throughout their young lives,” Gigi Colombini, a psychotherapist and founder of the Institute for Hope and Human Flourishing, tells Metro Parent in its March/April 2023 article “Does Bullying Contribute to Youth Suicide?,” which is part of a special 2023 content series sponsored by the Flinn Foundation.
Bullying can still look the way it did years ago, such as being called names, pushing and being left out. No matter how the bullying happens (whether it’s in-person or online), it can seriously impact a child’s mental health.
But can it cause a child to commit suicide? Don’t be so quick to assume that, Colombini urges.
“It’s a risk factor. It’s not a warning sign,” Colombini says. “If somebody is already suicidal and then they start being bullied, the risk will increase because that’s another disempowerment, another stressor, another thing they feel hopeless about.”
Children who have been both the bully and the bullied are at the most risk in terms of suicide-related behavior.
If your child is bullying someone at school, start asking questions: What was going on inside of you? What can you do to help yourself feel better? You ultimately want them to strive to behave better.
When it comes to a child who is being bullied, keep an eye out for shifts in behavior, including acting out, not wanting to go to school, complaining of stomach aches and headaches to get out of class and more.
If you see any shifts, ask your child if there is anyone you’re having a hard time with. Listen, and then ultimately get in touch with the school. It’s essential to work together with your child’s school, Colombini says.
For even more insight and advice on how bullying impacts youth suicide, read the full article at MetroParent.com.