Mental health issues make daily living difficult. And more people than we realize face mental health challenges, since the stigma surrounding such issues keeps many people silent about their problems.

The Keweenaw is blessed with a number of agencies and organizations addressing mental health needs. Copper Shores Community Health Foundation, Unite Mental Health and Wellness, Keweenaw Support 4 Healthy Minds, the Mental Health Support Group-Keweenaw Area, Copper Country Community Mental Health, Michigan Tech and Dial Help–which is now part of Copper Shores–all offer mental health services and education.

The Copper Shores Community Health Foundation formed when the Portage Health Foundation merged with Dial Help and Copper Country Senior Meals. Dial Help has provided a crisis line for the community for many years. Its 24-hour crisis line can still be reached by calling 1-800-562-7622 or texting 906-356-3337.

In addition to the crisis line, Copper Shores operates a child advocacy center, a sexual assault team, QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training, behavioral health community partnership training for first responders and a LOSS (Local Outreach for Suicide Survivors) team.

QPR trains ordinary people how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade and refer a person to help. Behavioral health community partnership training prepares first responders to handle mental health crises, and LOSS provides services to surviving victims of suicide. The LOSS team here is one of only five in Michigan. The team consists of a certified victim support professional and a trained community volunteer.

Unite Mental Health & Wellness

A local nonprofit mental health practice, Unite Mental Health & Wellness was established in Houghton three years ago to address the growing demand for accessible therapy and counseling services in the community. Since it opened, Unite has served more than 1,000 clients. The agency has scheduled roughly 3,000 appointments in the last six to eight months alone.

“It is hard for me to estimate how many people in the Keweenaw need some kind of mental health service,” says Unite co-founder Beth Shannon. “What I can say is that we receive phone calls and/or messages daily from people seeking care.” 

With a growing team of six therapists, including four available for in-person appointments and two offering remote telehealth sessions, Unite provides therapy for mild to moderate mental health issues including depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, ADHD and more. In cases where specialized care beyond the scope of Unite is required, the agency facilitates connections to appropriate resources, both locally and remotely. Contact Unite at 906-523-7064.

Keweenaw Support

4 Healthy Minds

This volunteer group teaches the public how to talk with people in crisis, how to support their neighbors and practice self-care to get through difficult times. “Just like communities everywhere, we need more mental health services,” says Michelle Morgan, a retired psychiatrist and the group’s founder. “We need more options, particularly for substance use disorder treatment. We recognize that mental illness and substance misuse touch all of us, and there is no shame in that,”

Keweenaw Support 4 Healthy Minds meets at 6:30 p.m. the last Tuesday of every month at the Portage Lake District Library. The group can be emailed at ksup4healthyminds@gmail.com.

Copper Country Community

Mental Health (CCCMH)

This publicly funded agency provides an array of services designed to increase independence, improve quality of life and support community integration for people with severe mental health issues in Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga and Ontonagon counties. CCCMH offers out-patient and residential services, autism support, services for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities, nursing home programs and a safe, supportive gathering space for clients at the Northern Lights Clubhouse in Hancock.

Contact CCCMH at 906-482-9404 during business hours; 800-526-5059 after hours or for emergencies.

Mental Health Support

Group-Keweenaw Area

Formerly a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) affiliate, this group has provided support, education and advocacy for individuals and families facing mental health issues since 1989. “We know there are many families struggling with mental health issues, and we want to give them a safe place to share and support each other,” says Cindy Harrison, who now helps run the group.

The Mental Health Support Group-Keweenaw Area also sponsors two public programs during Mental Health Awareness Month in May and Mental Health Awareness Week in October. The group meets at 6 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month at The Institute, 900 W. Sharon Avenue in Houghton.

Contact the group at mhsgka@aol.com

Michigan Tech Counseling

Services

Michigan Tech’s Center for Student Mental Health and Wellness provides students with access to the TELUS Health Student Support app. TELUS offers free and confidential mental health support. The app provides a virtual space for phone, video and text-chat conversations. All counseling providers are licensed, master’s level clinicians.