To seek services for yourself or a child at MCMHA please contact an Access worker at 734-243-7340 during regular business hours. Our Access department is open from 8:30-4:30pm Monday through Friday. When you call, please ask for the Access department.

We prefer that you call and ask to speak with an Access worker during normal business hours in order to answer some initial screening questions over the phone so that we can make an initial determination regarding your eligibility to receive services at MCMHA or to assist you with additional referrals as needed. If you call and receive the voice mail of an Access worker, please leave your name, contact information and the best time to reach you and someone will return your call within 24 hours of the business day to complete the phone screen with you.

When you call, the Access worker will speak with you for approximately 15-20 minutes to complete the phone screen. The worker will ask you a variety of questions about your circumstances including your name and the name of your child, date of birth, type of insurance you or your child have and symptoms that you are concerned about for yourself or your child. At the end of their questions the worker will explain to you whether or not you are eligible for services at this time. If you are eligible, the worker will assist you in setting up an initial face to face evaluation with a clinician within 14 days of the day you are calling. If you are not eligible for services the worker will assist you in connecting to a referral that can better meet your needs.

If you are told after your phone screen that you are not eligible for services at this time and you disagree with this decision, refer to our Appealing Service Decisions web page.

If it is determined you are eligible for services after your phone screen, you will be given an appointment to meet with a clinician face to face for an initial assessment within 14 days of the day you are calling. This initial assessment meeting will last approximately 1 and ½ hours. You will need to come to your meeting prepared to provide financial information regarding your income and insurance information including an insurance card for you and/or your child. You will also need to be sure to bring proof of Monroe County residency for yourself and/or your child, preferably in the form of a picture ID.

When you come in for the assessment, you will first meet with a financial officer to review your financial information to determine any ability to pay that you may be responsible for based on your income. If your income is low, you may have a zero-dollar co-pay. After meeting with the financial officer you will meet with a clinician to discuss you or your family’s situation, symptoms and hopes for treatment along with the types of services you are seeking. When your assessment is completed, the clinician will help you determine which programs and which types of services might be best able to meet your needs. The clinician will then also explain to you your rights and responsibilities as a MCMHA consumer and assist you in signing all the necessary paperwork to get your case started. Finally, before you leave give you the date and time of your next appointment within the next 14 days and will provide you with the CMH after hours emergency contact number should an emergency occur prior to your next appointment. (It is possible that at the end of this time of face to face assessment however, that the clinician may recommend treatment elsewhere as the best course of action. Once again, if you disagree with this recommendation you have the right to a second opinion or appeal.)

After you have received information on your next appointment time you are on your way. Your assigned therapist or case manager will contact you prior to your first appointment to confirm your appointment or make changes should you need to re-schedule. During your first meeting with your therapist or case manager you will begin the Person / Family Centered Planning process that was explained to you during your initial assessment. Brochures are also available to explain the person centered planning process to you more fully. Through the person / family centered planning process you will identify your desired outcomes for treatment for your family and child and the concrete steps and services that you will take to help you get where you want to go.