United Way Partner Programs: 

Great Start to Quality Western Resource Center

Arbor Circle's Great Start to Quality (GSQ) Western Resource Center program ensures children have a strong foundation to be successful in school, work, and life by receiving a safe place to learn, explore their world, and build positive relationships. GSQ provides a data driven/research-based consultation approach to improving quality for child care, preschool, and school-age programs, learning opportunities for all providers and assistance for families to find quality programs that best meet their child’s needs. The GSQ Service is provided through consultation, coaching, resource support and professional education training. Quality Improvement staff carry a “case load” of child care providers walking each provider through a continuous quality improvement process identifying the various levels providers are at and how they can improve quality. Childcare providers participating in the quality improvement process receive monthly coaching visits and support with professional development and program improvement resources and support; this could look like support in purchasing a new curriculum or identifying safety concerns and creating a plan to address those concerns. Staff also coordinate and provide trainings to build skills for childcare providers throughout the county. Great Start to Quality is part of a larger system of Great Start; a system designed to improve overall early childhood experiences for families in the communities we serve. Each part of the Great Start system has a unique role and has a strong focus on connecting to the resources in the community to provide holistic services to child care providers. Because Great Start to Quality is embedded in the Arbor Circle organization, we are better able to ensure child care providers are able to access other health and human services needs they may have; both for themselves and the families they serve. There has been an increase in the number of licensed childcare providers in Newaygo County, with 49 licenses. Maintaining these providers is critical to economic development and success in communities.

Newaygo Outpatient Counseling Services

Arbor Circle's Newaygo Outpatient Counseling Services provide critical intervention to adults, children and families working towards recovery of substance abuse and mental health concerns. Services include individual, family and group counseling, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), recovery coaching services and women's specific programming. The goals of services proposed include 1) Increase access to care and counseling, and 2) Improving social/emotional health by providing proven evidenced-based treatment approaches that are trauma-informed.

Currently, the Newaygo Outpatient program serves just about 150 individuals a year. We propose this next year we will be able to increase the number served to 200 individuals served. Services are considered person-centered and the frequency is based on client need (typically 1-4 sessions a month).

Services that are provided include the following:

• Assessment
• Treatment planning
• Individual mental health and/or substance use treatment with adults
• Individual mental health treatment with children/youth
• Group substance use therapy with adults
• Family mental health therapy for children and their parents/guardians/caregivers
• Parent/guardians/caregivers contact and coordination
• Coordination of care with schools, health care providers and other community providers
• Specialized services for Women
• Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)
• Police Social Work

Services occur at the following locations:

• Outpatient Counseling building located in Newaygo
• Patricia St. Clair Elementary School in Hesperia
• Newaygo County Jail
• City of Newaygo Police Department
• City of Fremont Police Department

Services may take place in person or virtually (telehealth or telephonic options). Frequently children are seen in person, particularly if the service is taking place at the school. Adults appreciate more flexibility due to limited public transportation and other work/life demands that make in person sessions more difficult. However, all clients come in person for MAT services.

Supporting Recovery: Awareness, Access and Affirmation

At Arbor Circle, we understand that women face unique challenges when dealing with mental health and substance use disorders. In response, Arbor Circle's Muskegon counseling services provide critical interventions, tailored to support women, working toward recovery and the specific needs of their families. Pregnant and parenting persons in particular are impacted by barriers to treatment, bias, child welfare and maternal health related concerns. Offering a community based approach to care addresses barriers to treatment in addition to in-office services through our outpatient counseling services. Program services offer cultural and gender responsive care, community outreach and engagement, case management services to address the needs of the woman and the family and support building "recovery capital".

Services include assessment, treatment planning, individual counseling and case management services for individuals in Muskegon County. A specific emphasis and priority is made for pregnant and parenting persons seeking treatment and outreach services. Case management services support engagement through initial outreach attempts and are offered to address barriers to treatment, challenges related to Social Determinants to Health, and other needs identified by the client that may impede their progress in treatment included access to local resources. Services are offered primarily in person and can also be offered virtually (telehealth or telephonic options) as requested to allow for flexibility.

This project is designed to strengthen the accessibility of services in Muskegon county, in particular supporting Arbor Circle’s women’s services by reducing barriers through program support including comprehensive case management and related support, each component critical to the effectiveness of this program. Arbor Circle just received our Women’s Specialty Services designation to provide women’s services in Muskegon (in addition to the existing designations in our other counties); these funds will help support the community need as we expand our services into this community.

About Arbor Circle: 

Arbor Circle is proud to be one of West Michigan’s most comprehensive providers of mental health, substance use treatment, and family services. Arbor Circle began in 1996, as a union of six non-profit organizations with a wide array of quality programs. Today, it has services in 12 counties in West Michigan. The operating budget of over 22 million supports the work of 300 social workers, psychologists and other employees who annually serve thousands of children, youth, adults and families. The organization is accredited by the Joint Commission, a nationally recognized accrediting body and undergoes an annual independent financial audit. As a nonprofit governed by a 15-member volunteer Board of Directors, our mission is to transform the lives of children, adults, and families facing mental health, substance use and family concerns in a caring partnership with our clients and diverse community. Our vision is to be the leader in providing innovative and proven approaches that help individuals and families realize hope, healing and an overall positive impact on their everyday living through improved emotional/physical health and stability.