Tell us about your organization in three sentences or less.
Great Lakes Recovery Centers (GLRC) is a 501 (c) (3), nationally accredited organization that offers a variety of behavioral health services across the Upper Peninsula. We offer mental health and substance abuse counseling, prevention services, Offender Success programming, children and adolescent psychiatric services, trauma assessments, residential treatment for both adults and adolescents with Substance Use Disorder, and more.
What is an interesting thing about your organization that most people don't know?
I don’t think most people know how diversified our services are. I think people will tell you we offer residential substance abuse treatment for adolescents and adults. Some people might say we offer individual, family and group counseling for both substance abuse and mental health. But a lot of people don’t know that in 2018, we entered into a contract with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to provide foster care recruitment, training and retention services. We are working with the only Child Psychiatrist in the Upper Peninsula to offer services through our Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Services program. Our Offender Success program works with Returning Citizens (parolees) that are released into an Upper Peninsula county to provide them with the help they need so that they will not re-offend. We have a Veteran’s Group that meets weekly. We provide shelter for homeless veterans. We work with the Marquette County Juvenile Courts to provide Emergency Shelter Care for youth. We offer Neuro-Developmental Trauma Assessments for children between the ages of 2 and 18 who are exhibiting delays in regards to trauma they have experienced. We have a transitional house for women who are beginning their lives in recovery in Marquette and will be opening another home for women in Baraga and one for men in Sault Ste. Marie.
How can people keep up to date with what's happening at your organization?
They can find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Or they can learn more about our services on our website –
www.glrc.org
.
What is the background of your organization?
Great Lakes Recovery Center (GLRC) is a non-profit organization that offers mental health and substance abuse services across the Upper Peninsula. Our mission is to empower recovery through hope and change, where as our vision is to create healthy communities one person at a time.
GLRC’s roots date back to the mid 1970’s with the opening of the Nu-Way Halfway House for Men and the Joan Curto Halfway House for Women, both in Marquette. These two houses combined in 1985 to become Adult Residential Services. In 1981, the Shiloh House for youth was established in Marquette. Through the years, Shiloh House changed to become Adolescent Services Center and moved to Negaunee. Today, GLRC operates four residential facilities – Adult Residential Services, Adolescent Services Center and Men’s New Hope House and Women’s New Hope House. Both of the New Hope Houses are located in Sault Ste. Marie.
In 1995, GLRC began offering outpatient services in Marquette. Today outpatient services are being offered in 9 different communities across the Upper Peninsula. Mental health counseling is offered in 5 of these locations. In Marquette County we offer outpatient services, including mental health in Ishpeming and Marquette.
What is your favorite part about living and working in the West End?
I like the fact that I am close to my family, even when I am at work.
Anything else you want the community to know about your organization?
September is an important month for GLRC. It is Recovery Month, as well as Suicide Prevention Month. And this year GLRC has some big plans.
Over the past three years, GLRC has facilitated the West End Suicide Prevention team. In the fall of 2018, West End Suicide Prevention conducted a survey of individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 who mostly lived on the west end of Marquette County to find out where this group spends their time and how to reach them with suicide prevention messaging. It was determined that even though they like to spend time outdoors and at sporting events, they spend the majority of their time at home – doing chores, studying, spending time with friends and family. So West End Suicide Prevention developed the LIVE campaign, with the idea that if yard signs are found in every community, people will notice them. LIVE stands for Love (yourself), Include (others), Value (life), Engage (community). Then the group realized that this is a message for everyone, not just 18 to 24 years olds and by doing a community campaign, it could reach everyone.
The schools were approached to take part in LIVE Week, where students will have the chance to win LIVE swag as well as a $25 gift card. Teachers will be able to enter into a contest as well. Businesses, churches and organizations are being asked to display LIVE window decals, folded business cards, fliers and bookmarks with a positive mental health message. If you would like to be a part of the LIVE campaign or West End Suicide Prevention, please find West End Suicide Prevention on Facebook or Instagram, or visit the webpage at
www.glrc.org/WESP
.
