By Lori Schummer, Director of Public Relations and Customer Service, West Michigan Community Mental Health
Seeking help for mental health or substance use concerns can feel overwhelming, often leaving individuals unsure where to begin.
West Michigan Community Mental Health has expanded services in recent years to improve access to care for residents in Lake, Mason and Oceana counties, including the addition of Behavioral Health Urgent Care and Open Access services.
Behavioral Health Urgent Care provides same-day assistance for individuals experiencing mental health or substance use concerns that cannot wait for a traditional appointment. The service is designed to offer immediate access to trained professionals who can assess needs and connect individuals to appropriate care.
Open Access services allow individuals to begin receiving services without waiting for an initial appointment. During an Open Access visit, individuals can complete an assessment and begin working with staff to identify appropriate services and supports.
Officials said the goal of both programs is to reduce barriers and provide more timely, accessible and person-centered care.
Community Mental Health encourages individuals and families to seek help when needed, noting that reaching out for support is an important first step.
For more information or to access services, call 800-992-2061 or visit wmcmhs.org.
________________________
Please Support Local News and Sports Coverage
Receive daily MCP and OCP news briefings along with email news alerts for $10 a month. Your contribution will help us to continue to provide you with free local news.
The payment can be paid monthly through PayPal: Click this link.
To sign up for an annual subscription, email editor@mediagroup31.com. In the subject line write: Subscription. Please supply your name, email address, mailing address, and phone number (indicate cell phone). We will not share your information with any outside sources.
For more than one email address in a household, the cost is $15 per month per email address.
We can send you an invoice for a yearly payment of $120, which you can conveniently pay online or by check. If you are interested in this method, please email editor@mediagroup31.com and we can sign you up. You can also mail a yearly check for $120 to Media Group 31, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454 (please include your email address).
Payment must be made in advance prior to subscription activation.
We appreciate all our readers regardless of whether they choose to continue to access our service for free or with a monthly financial support.
_____
This story and original photography are copyrighted © 2026, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.
As the services of Media Group 31, LLC are news services, the information posted within the sites are archivable for public record and historical posterity. For this reason it is the policy and practice of this company to not delete postings. It is the editor’s discretion to update or edit a story when/if new information becomes available. This may be done by editing the posted story or posting a new “follow-up” story. Media Group 31, LLC or any of its agents have the right to make any changes to this policy. Refer to Use Policy for more information.
.png)
