Behavioral health relates to how our thoughts, feelings, and actions affect our mental well-being. It includes issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, and problems with substance abuse. These challenges many people face silently can impact daily life, work, and relationships.
For many in our community, understanding and finding help for these issues can be difficult, especially if English isn’t your first language.
Behavioral health services are programs that provide support, counseling, and treatment to people dealing with mental health challenges.
Thanks to government programs and community organizations like LAHC (Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities), these services can often be free or low-cost.
In this article, we will explain behavioral health services and how they can benefit you. We also tell you about LAHC’s behavioral health services, which help our community with mental health support, substance abuse treatment, and more.
What are behavioral health services?
Behavioral health services are a range of treatments and programs designed to help individuals manage mental health conditions, emotional challenges, and substance use disorders.
These services aim to promote mental wellness, prevent mental illness, and provide support for those struggling with behavioral health issues.
The spectrum of behavioral health services includes:
- Therapy: Engaging in individual, group, or family therapy sessions to explore thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
- Counseling: Receiving guidance and support from trained professionals to cope with life’s challenges
- Substance abuse treatment: Accessing programs to overcome addiction and prevent relapse
- Crisis intervention: Receiving immediate support during mental health emergencies
When appropiate, we offer referrals concerning:
- Medication management: Utilizing medications under professional supervision to manage mental health conditions
- Psychiatric evaluation: Undergoing assessments to diagnose mental health disorders and develop treatment plans
These services are provided by a team of mental health professionals, including:
- Social workers: Professionals who offer counseling and connect clients with community resources
- Counselors: Trained individuals who provide support and guidance on personal and emotional issues
We partner with other groups to provide the following services:
- Psychologists: Experts in human behavior who provide therapy and conduct research
- Psychiatrists: Medical doctors specializing in mental health who can prescribe medication
Why are behavioral health services important?
Mental health issues, if left untreated, can negatively affect every part of a person’s life.
For instance, someone dealing with depression or anxiety may find it hard to concentrate at work, leading to mistakes or missed days.
Over time, this could result in job loss, which makes it difficult to pay bills or support their family. Without income, a person might face eviction or homelessness.
Struggling with mental health can also strain relationships with family and friends. Feelings of loneliness or frustration might cause conflicts at home.
In some cases, individuals might turn to alcohol or drugs to cope with their feelings, which can lead to addiction or even involvement in criminal activities to support their habit.
By seeking help through behavioral health services, individuals can learn coping strategies, receive support, and improve their well-being. This can lead to better job performance, healthier relationships, and transitioning to better careers.
How to access LAHC’s behavioral health services
If you or someone you know is struggling with behavioral health issues, it’s essential to know where and how to find help.
LAHC offers a variety of programs designed to support mental wellness and promote healthy lifestyles.
“Blooming Minds” for mental health
Blooming Minds is a recreational therapy program utilizing evidence-based interventions to promote mental wellness. It aims to improve physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and spiritual functioning.
The program is designed to decrease feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression while promoting a healthy leisure lifestyle and improving overall quality of life.
Who Can Benefit?
Community members within Wayne County who struggle with the following:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Grief and Loss
- Stress Management
- Self-Worth or Body Image Issues
- Eating Disorders
- Bullying
- Anger Management
Therapeutic Interventions Include:
- Stress Management Techniques
- Therapeutic Use of Arts and Music
- Gardening for Mental Wellness
- Movement and Mindfulness Practices
- Creative Expression Activities
- Exercise and Games for Therapeutic Benefit
“Pathways Program” for developmental disabilities
Pathways empowers youth with developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and related conditions on their journey to independence.
The program focuses on developing life skills necessary for community integration and lifelong success and is tailored to each individual’s needs.
Program Highlights:
- Social and Communication Skills Development
- Leisure Enrichment Series
- Foundational Life Skills Training
- Personal Safety Education
- Job Readiness & Vocational Exploration
Other services: LAHC’s Substance Misuse Prevention Program
LAHC is committed to promoting the positive development of youth and families to build healthy, safe, and successful lives free of substance abuse.
Programs Offered:
- Botvin Life Skills: A research-backed program that addresses the factors leading to substance use and violence, equipping middle and high school students with tools to handle challenging situations without resorting to harmful behaviors
- Gambling prevention: An evidence-based curriculum aimed at preventing problem gambling among teens and young adults, focusing on improving problem-solving and decision-making skills
- Synar program: A collaborative effort to prohibit the purchase and use of tobacco by individuals under 21, involving compliance checks on tobacco vendors
- Nurturing parenting program: A community-based initiative to help parents raise well-adjusted children, covering topics like appropriate discipline, spotting signs of substance abuse, and building a child’s self-worth
- Medication disposal: Education on proper medication disposal to protect personal information and the environment, including medicine take-back events
- Narcan training: Training on administering Narcan (Naloxone), a life-saving nasal spray that can reverse opioid overdoses. LAHC provides access to Narcan and informational resources through a Narcan Porch Box at their building
LAHC’s intervention referral services
Certified Prevention Specialists are available to help individuals initiate and maintain their recovery journey, providing resources and referrals to treatment centers tailored to each person’s unique needs.
Accessing behavioral health services with LAHC
As part of our mission to empower communities, one family at a time, by advancing the educational, social, health, and economic well-being of Southeast Michigan Residents, LAHC offers programs like Pathways and Blooming Minds to support mental health and well-being.
Call 313-846-8480 to learn about our behavioral health services.
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