Washtenaw County: Citizens for Mental Health & Public Safety

Glenn Nelson, Co-Chair of Citizens for Mental Health & Public Safety (CMHPS), informed the WCCMH Board at the 2/15/19 meeting of his organization's new Website. According to the Website, CMHPS "...is a group of concerned citizens advocating that the money allocated to the City of Ann Arbor from the November 2017 Mental Health and Public Safety Millage be used for public safety and mental health services for the residents of Ann Arbor." [The millage funding is specifically directed to benefit people with mental illness and local communities and not people with developmental disabilities, most of whom are covered by Medicaid-funded mental health services.]

That sounds pretty straightforward. That was the purpose of a 2017 millage (property tax) initiative that passed with overwhelming approval: "...to improve the treatment to people with mental health needs, provide increased financial support for mental health crisis, stabilization and prevention, and for continued law enforcement services provided by the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, and for local governments which have their own police force..."

There is some controversy over how Ann Arbor is choosing to spend millage funds:

In July 2017 the Ann Arbor City Council passed a resolution to spend its revenue of $20 million over 8 years as follows:

• 40% for affordable housing, which we support so long as this includes supportive services.
• 20% for bicycle and pedestrian safety, which we recognize is an important component of public safety.
• 40% for climate change actions, which we oppose because these are not related to mental health or public safety.

I am all for initiatives that address climate change, but this looks like a highjacking of funds meant to improve mental health services by a project that is not directly related to mental health issues. Addressing climate change funding in competition with funding for mental health services is not a good precedent.

[Update: After learning more about the millage and agreements reached in order to get it passed, I have come to realize that some of the millage funds are to reimburse cities and townships who do not contract with the county sheriff's office for policing and have their own police departments. Much of the millage funding goes to the Washtenaw County Sheriff's office to improve public safety, but towns and cities that do not have a contract with the Sheriff's  department get a reimbursement from the millage to spend as they see fit. Ann Arbor is not obligated to spend funds on mental health services and it is up to the the local government to decide how they will spend the reimbursement.]

Get the facts and follow the controversy on the CMHPS Website. Look for updates and new information.