Gratiot County Community
Mental Health Services Board was established in November of 1966 as the first rural CMH
Board in the State of Michigan. Board operations were housed in the basement of a local
church.
The National Institute of Mental
Health (NIMH) awarded a grant to GCCMHSB in April 1969 to fund staffing. This grant continued for eight years as the
Gratiot Community Hospital and Montcalm County CMH worked in Cooperation with the Agency.
During the period of 1970-1980 the
Board operated an alcohol and drug prevention and treatment program known as the Gratiot
County Drug Alcohol Information Center. In
June of 1990 the Capital Area Substance Abuse System rescinded funding for this program. The program was later opened as Alcohol, Drug
Abuse, Prevention &Treatment (ADAPT).
In 1971, the Board was awarded a
construction grant to support a mental health Day Activities Program providing social and
recreational activities for persons with mental illness in Gratiot County. This program
was located in the basement of the Gratiot Community Hospital. Additionally, impatient services were developed
and managed by the Board within Gratiot Community Hospital.
Federal grant money became available
in 1977 to create an Adult Activity Program for the citizens of Gratiot County with
developmental disabilities. These Services
originated in the former Bailey School Building at the corner of Van Buren and Jerome
Roads in Alma. The program was named in honor of the late Cleo Johnson of Ithaca who
played a major role in contribution to special education programs for persons with mental
impairments within Gratiot County and the State of Michigan.
In 1978, the NIMH awarded a
construction grant to the Board to build the Mental Health Center located at 320 Warwick
Drive. Additional federal grants were awarded
in 1979 for the Day Activities Program.
A new addition was added to the 320
Warwick Drive building in November 1988. This
addition now houses the offices for Services to Persons with Developmental Disabilities
and the Cleo Johnson Adult Activity Program.
The Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1987
(OBRA) allowed funding to established a program to monitor nursing home placement for
geriatric citizens with mental health needs in Gratiot County.
The Board was considered a Full
Management Board in its’ contractual relationship with the Michigan Department of
Community Health in 1992.
The Child, Family and Adolescent
Center located on Gratiot Avenue in the old Fire Hall was established in 1995 to provide
services to children, adolescents and families in need on mental health services.
On June 28, 1996 the board earned a
four-year accreditation from the Counsel on Accreditation Services for Families and
Children (COA), the most comprehensive independent accrediting body for organizations
providing behavioral health care.
In 1996, the Board was awarded Federal
Block Grants for development of Wrap-Around, Home Based Services, Case Management for
Children and Geriatric Outreach programs. The
most recent addition to the Board’s array of services is the Assertive community
Treatment program that began in 1997.
The Board was awarded Mental Health
Authority status on September 23, 1997 by the Department of Community Mental Health.