The 20th ‘Walk a Mile in My Shoes’ event promotes mental health care in the community

Community Mental Health Association of Michigan (CMHA) is holding its 20th anniversary Walk the Mile in the My Shoes Rally on Tuesday, September 17. For the past 20 years, the conference has brought together advocates from Michigan to the Michigan State Capitol building in Lansing to support public health care. The conference highlights the need for more funding for mental health services, raises awareness of the needs of mental health in health debates and policies, and reduces stigma around mental health.

Robert Sheehan“Our public relations committee created this conference 20 years ago, saying we needed a way to come together on issues facing our system, to be proud of our system, and to bring customers who serve people with in the capitol to not only get involved in politics, but to make their differences and voices heard and seen,” says CMHA CEO Robert Sheehan.

Although CMHA convenes, it is run by nurses, administrators, partners, and, most importantly, the clients it serves – Michiganders who have received mental health services. It is a platform for people to come together to express their sense of community and solidarity as well as to inform policymakers and the public why adequate support and funding for mental health services is needed, are useful and important.

“Eighty percent of our revenue is revenue, and the demand for these services has increased, which has led to a 17% increase in revenue over the past two years. Our revenue has increased by 2 percent or three. Says Sheehan. “The House and the Senate are going to say, ‘Bob, we gave you money last year?’ We reply, ‘We’re fighting a forest fire, and you give us a Dixie cup every time we ask. We’ll be back often for more Dixie cups because you think that somehow This dollar amount that you have given is enough, and it is not enough.’

Walk a Mile in My Shoes participants hoped to help make mental and behavioral health services more accessible and combat stigma.

Representation at the conference

Community mental health organizations (CMHs) from across the country came to the 2024 conference to show support for clients and friends and advocate for a strong mental health system. The counties represented included the most populous ones such as Detroit, Wayne, Oakland, and Kent as well as the least populated ones such as Antrim, Newaygo, Ottawa, Muskegon and Grand Traverse.

“CMHs often help with transportation,” says Sheehan. “They also provide the necessary support for the customers being served to reach the meeting.”

Along with representation, experts and patients from the counties give presentations and give personal testimony, using their voices to inform the public and their legislature about the importance of having mental health support in the community. for needy people.

Regina Salmi“I was very impressed by the energy of all the people who spoke, especially one person from Muskegon County who encouraged the people in the crowd. He said, ‘Don’t associate shame with that. what you hear. This is the walk we’re on, and we’re stronger,'” says Regina Salmi, 2024 Walk a Mile committee chair and communications director for Network180community mental health care provider in Kent County. “That was very powerful.”

The power of the numbers and the message shared by the entire team was impactful.

“Treatment has progressed so much that people can get help, and people can live high quality lives and be active members of society,” says Salmi. prevent people from getting help. There are far more people who need help than actually get it.”

The Walk continues

Because CMHA, Michigan’s community mental health organizations, and Michiganders who benefit from community mental health services have been marching to support mental and behavioral health services for 20 years In the past, great strides have been made. But the last thread has not yet arrived. Stigma is still prevalent even though more people are talking about mental health and behavior.

In addition, a shortage of health care workerspredicted to continue for the next 10 years, fueled by high demand, high business rates due to stress and burnout, and insufficient capital. This staffing shortage is hitting state mental health agencies hard. Years of reducing funding for mental and behavioral health services accompanying inflation exacerbates the need for more and more money. CMHA is in the process of conducting research to find out what the health care career opportunities are and what they will be in the future.

“I’m glad wages are going up, but if you don’t support it, you can’t get it, and we’re losing workers because of that,” Sheehan says. “People will work harder if you pay them. Gen Z and Gen Y love this job. We just have to make sure we pay them so we can compete in non-healthcare jobs. ”

The Walk a Mile in My Shoes event invited Michigan attorneys to stop and think about what it’s like to need something and not be able to find it.

“It is a political meeting. It’s really deep. People say, ‘I have a right to be here. I have the right to enjoy my community. I have the right to find work, to have housing. And it’s not a right that I can be denied,’” says Sheehan. “It’s really stable. It’s not, ‘Please feel sorry for me.’ It’s very different. They say, ‘I’m a member of this community, and I’m going to say it, not out of anger but with real energy and joy.'”

Monique Bedford is an aspiring journalist, currently freelancing for Issue Media Group publications. He graduated from Oakland University in the fall of 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Monique has experience in solutions journalism, media planning, and radio programming. When she’s not writing, you can always find her learning about different cultures and languages, reading her favorite newspaper, The New York Times, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Photo of Robert Sheehan by Doug Coombe.
Photos courtesy of CMHA. Regina Salmi photo courtesy of the article.

The MI Mental Health series highlights the opportunities Michigan children, youth and adults of all ages have to get the mental health help they need, when and where they need it. It is possible with funds from National Mental Health Association of Michigan, Center for Health Reform and ResearchLifeWays, Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan, Northern Lakes CMH Authority, OnPoint, Sanilac County CMH, County of St. Clair CMH, Summit Pointeand Washtenaw County CMH.