CMU Health

 

The CMU Health difference

Spotlight

Great Lakes Bay Region Mental Health Partnership at CMU Health awarded $60,000 in grant funding to expand mental health programs

by Alexandria Rene

The Great Lakes Bay Region Mental Health Partnership at CMU Health received two grants totaling $60,000 in funding from the Midland Area Community Foundation under the “Caring for Our People” focus area to expand core strategies and mental health programs in the Midland area.

“This is a meaningful investment in both our youth and the broader workforce as we work to break down the stigma surrounding mental health, which is often the most significant barrier preventing people from seeking support,” said Dallas Rau, director of the GLBRMHP at CMU Health.

The $10,000 grant from the MACF Youth Action Council will be used in Midland County to offer two Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training courses. YMHFA is an evidence-based curriculum from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, neighbors, health human service workers and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addiction challenge or is in a crisis.

Upcoming YMHFA sessions are available in April and May for individuals to register:

  • Session one: April 29, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Delta College Downtown Midland Center. Register here.
  • Session two: May 27, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Delta College Downtown Midland Center. Register here. 

The second award package of $50,000 from the MACF will help to ‘Decrease Mental Health Stigma, Expand Workplace and Youth Mental Health Programs, and Enhance Mental Health Provider Access in Midland County.’

This funding will help sustain the infrastructure required to implement GLBRMHP’s core strategies. In addition, it will support key staff time, outreach efforts, administrative needs, and program coordination to ensure continued delivery and expansion of impact across Midland County.

“We’re incredibly proud of the leadership and passion Dallas has demonstrated,” said Abishek Bala, MD, child and adolescent psychiatrist at CMU Health. “Through the programming from GLBRMHP at CMU Health, this award empowers us to reach and significantly impact thousands of individuals across Midland County.”

The MACF exists to cultivate the power of giving within its community, support long-term transformation, and help ensure all residents thrive.

For more information about GLBRMHP, please contact Dallas Rau at rau1d@cmich.edu.