Lenawee Community Mental Health Authority partners with Issues Media Group
ADRIAN — Critical issues involving Lenawee County communities, such as mental health and other topics, will be reported on through weekly features and news stories provided by a news media group that plans to partner with the Lenawee Community Mental Health Authority.
Issues Media Group, with 12 Michigan publications, including the Second Wave publication serving the Upper Peninsula and other publications located throughout central and southern Michigan, has offered to provide news writing services for the LCMHA. Its publications reach about 6.2 million readers each year, Issues Media Group said in information provided to the LCMHA.
The media group is targeting a July launch for its partnership with the LCMHA.
The mental health authority board approved a partnership with Issues Media Group at its May 26 meeting for a duration of 12 months and at a cost of $12,000 — a monthly partnership rate of $1,000. The project and the budget pricing, Issues Media Group said, are designed for Lenawee County.
IMG said it will “dedicate a new publication/platform to Lenawee County and will publish stories, convene events and circulate a weekly email publication.” The stories created through the media group will be written, photographed and filmed by journalists, photographers and filmmakers in the region and will be part of Issue Media Group’s statewide Michigan network. Content created by IMG can be distributed anywhere outside the Lenawee County region to additional sources as part of IMG’s Michigan network.
The work, according to IMG, will be made possible through underwriting support from a coalition of local stakeholders. LCMHA will also receive the ability to reuse IMG content on its website, newsletter, social media and additional online communications.
“In the event that IMG does not develop a coalition that hits the necessary financial launch to target, Lenawee CMHA will not be held to this sponsorship agreement,” IMG said in its proposal. Either Issue Media Group or the LCMHA may terminate the contract for any reason by giving the other party 30 days' written notice.
Issue Media Group said financial support from coalition members will allow for “increased coverage of critical issues facing the community.”
“This is a sustainable journalism model that IMG has activated in over 25 regions during the past 15 years,” the company said.
While the main focus of stories created by IMG will be about mental health services in Lenawee County, the company also writes on topics ranging from such as economic development and jobs, health, housing, education, transportation, environment, and the arts and culture.
Community engagement is “critical for better stories and greater impact,” the company said, stating that IMG will regularly host editorial advisory meetings to bring stakeholders, businesses and residents together to brainstorm story ideas. Through its partnership with the LCMHA, the authority will be able to attend these editorial meetings where it can meet other community stakeholders and connect with IMG’s local editorial team.
“IMG will collaborate with Lenawee CMHA to identify content areas within the publications that will be branded with the Lenawee CMHA logo and/or specific campaign ads,” the company said.
IMG said its digital magazine publications aim to connect readers to their city’s “most visionary and active people, businesses and organizations.”
In other business
The Lenawee Community Mental Health Authority at its May 26 meeting also:
• Approved the results of its compliance audit for the fiscal year of 2021, generated through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The auditors, the board said, did not make any corrections and did not suggest any adjustments for the audit.
• Announced it is 58% through its fiscal year for 2022 and there are no expenditure or budget concerns at this time.
• Approved the creation of a new management position. According to LCMHA Executive Director Kathryn Szewczuk, the authority’s budget can support the new position, which will aid program directors, supervisors and the chief clinical officer.
“Lenawee is thin in management,” she said. “The majority of the work that we do is clinical. I do think that we need to bolster our clinical support.”
• Approved a revised weapons policy, which was reviewed and updated a matter of days after the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Board member Nancy Eaton-Gordon said the revised policy is “going to be functional” and has “been designed to do what it needs to do.”
“The holes that were there have been addressed,” she said.
The LCMHA meets inside the Lenawee County Human Services Building in Adrian. The facility has two security guards. Szewczuk said local police departments have a good working relationship with the LCMHA and are often very quick to respond to an emergency. The authority, she added, trains for emergencies with the Lenawee County Emergency Management team.
• Approved a temporary employee leave policy regarding COVID-19 illnesses. The current policy for requesting time off because of a COVID-19 illness was extended to five days of time off through Dec. 31. The alteration of the policy, according to LCMHA board chair Amy Palmer, is consistent with time off policies suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Acknowledged the Lenawee County Board of Commissioners recognized the month of May as Mental Health Month.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Lenawee Community Mental Health Authority partners with media group
