CMH interim director plans to 'set the stage' for next leader
OTTAWA COUNTY — As he returns to lead Ottawa County Community Mental Health in an interim role, Michael Brashears is looking to set the organization up for future success.
Brashears, who spent nearly seven years as executive director of CMHOC, started his tenure as interim executive director Tuesday, May 21. He provided a department report to the health and human services committee of the Ottawa County Board and shared his goals.
“It’s safe to say that CMH right now is in a good place,” Brashears said. “However, my role as the interim director for the next 90 days is to conduct a systems look.
More: Former director will return as interim at Ottawa County Community Mental Health
“I feel it’s my goal as the interim to ... set the stage for a strategic plan for the Community Mental Health Board and to help support the next director once appointed.”
He'll explore how programs are operating and standards of access, and hold conversations with staff, providers, community stakeholders and families.
“I’ll be making myself available for dialogues,” Brashears said. “Are they getting what they’re entitled to and what they deserve?”
Brashears also noted a planned state effort to enact “conflict-free case management,” which he called a “dire threat” to the way CMHs across the state operate. The plan, he said, would require separate organizations to assess a patient’s need and then provide care, rather than one organization doing both. This would lead to delays in care, Brashears said.
He plans to bring more information to the CMH Board during a meeting Friday, May 24, along with a resolution stating the board doesn’t support the plan. He indicated other CMHs are planning to take similar action in the coming weeks.
During an update from the Ottawa County Department of Public Health, Health Officer Adeline Hambley said seasonal monitoring for mosquitos and ticks is underway, and tick activity seems to be up this year.
“Ticks are especially terrible this year,” she said. “Precautions that people can take (include) long pants, bug spray, checking themselves when they’re done walking — and their pets. Everything that we’re hearing anecdotally so far is that it’s a pretty bad season for ticks.”
Hambley said no additional farms have seen outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza — bird flu — since one dairy herd and one poultry facility were affected in the county in April.
Spencer Ballard provided an update on efforts to establish a work group to review the county’s policy on time of sale well and septic inspections. He said he’s working to identify a “diverse group” of stakeholders and hopes to set a first meeting in June or July.
The group is being organized in response to a suggestion from Board Chair Joe Moss in March to open inspections — currently only done by county staff — to private inspectors.
Ottawa County Veterans Affairs Director Jason Schenkel also provided an update on his department Tuesday.
Schenkel said he’s completed his training to become an accredited veterans service officer. Once a federal background check and fingerprinting is complete, Schenkel will have expanded access to track federal benefits for county veterans, enhancing local services.
Subscribe: Receive unlimited access to your local news coverage
He provided statistics from the department for the month of April. Last month, the office conducted 79 veteran service office appointments, provided 19 medical transport rides for nine veterans, approved one burial allowance, recommended one case for the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund, and approved one case for the county’s emergency assistance fund.
Additionally, a new page for mental health resources has been added to the department’s website, in partnership with Credible Mind and CMHOC.
— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: CMH interim director plans to 'set the stage' for next leader
