Washtenaw County agencies offer low-cost mental health resources for Ypsilanti residents, EMU students

Eastern Michigan University students tackling the challenges of college and residents of any age trying to make it through the day can find help with those struggles in their own community. 

Many local organizations offer free or low-cost mental health services for all, regardless of health insurance status. The Ypsilanti community also has resources available to help uninsured individuals navigate their options, including those aging out of their parents’ health-care coverage.

Among those opportunities are these nine resources in Ypsilanti for receiving mental health support at low or no cost:

Eastern Michigan University CAPS

Counseling and Psychological Services, or CAPS, at EMU offers mental health services to students, ranging from short-term free, confidential counseling to psychiatry appointments for medication, which requires insurance or payment. Students must be enrolled at least half-time to receive services. CAPS provides individual, couples and group counseling, emergency services and crisis intervention, faculty and staff consultation and outreach, and education opportunities. 

An online mental health screening is available free for students. Students can reach CAPS by calling 734-487-1118, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. After-hours crisis counseling is also available by calling the number above. The Campus Wellness Center is at 1075 N. Huron River Drive, Ypsilanti. 

Eastern Michigan University Counseling Clinics

The Counseling Training Clinic in the College of Education at Eastern Michigan University provides personal and family, career assessment and academic counseling. These services are provided by advanced graduate students under the supervision of faculty who are licensed professional counselors and supervisors, the EMU website states.

Counseling services are available at no cost to EMU students, staff and faculty, and on a sliding fee scale to Washtenaw County residents. Fees can be waived due to financial difficulties, managers explained on the clinic's website.

The clinic is open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. by appointment and is inside the EMU College of Education John W. Porter Building in Suite 135.

Community Mental Health

The Washtenaw County Health Department offers mental health resources, including assessment services, treatment planning and case management, crisis services, and outpatient therapy. To get started with accessing care, community members can call 734-544-3050, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Payment is based on what patients can afford, the Community Mental Health website said. Fees are assessed on an individual's financial situation based on the review of requested documents. 

Community Mental Health is at 555 Towner St., Ypsilanti, and is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with 24-hour crisis services available by calling 734-544-3050. 

The Corner Health Center

The Corner Health Center offers a range of mental health services, including cognitive behavioral treatment for anxiety and depression, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and other forms of trauma-focused care, and supportive therapy for adolescents and young adults who are dealing with the normal stressors of life, its website states.

Corner Health provides one-on-one counseling in person and virtually, as well as group therapy for select issues. LGBTQ+ sensitive care, behavioral health care for underrepresented racial, ethnic and religious individuals, substance use support and care, psychotherapy for expectant and young mothers, support for individuals who fall on the Autism Spectrum, support for those with ADHD, ADD and other learning difficulties, mindfulness, and more are all available, the website states. 

The Corner Health Center is located at 47 N. Huron Street, Ypsilanti and can be reached at 734-484-3600. The center is open 1-5 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. On its website, Corner Health has a therapy interest form for prospective patients to complete.

Hope Clinic

Hope Clinic provides medical services at no cost to uninsured members of the community, including behavioral healthcare and counseling. The behavioral health team includes licensed counselors, patient advocates and healthcare navigators, the Hope Clinic website states. 

Betsy King-McDonald, communications manager for the clinic, said the first step for someone seeking counseling is a triage appointment. A triage appointment helps clinic staff identify patient needs and determine eligibility. The Hope Clinic takes an integrated approach to care, providing behavioral health screenings in other appointments, such as medical and dental, she said. If someone doesn't qualify for Hope Clinic's free services, staff can help refer them to partners in the community.

The Hope Clinic is at 518 Harriet St., Ypsilanti. It is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Ozone House

Ozone House offers resources, including counseling and case management services, to homeless youth, including runaways and high-risk youth ages 10-24, and their families, its website said. In addition to counseling and case management, Ozone House provides crisis support, a welcome center for youth ages 13-24 to hang out or receive emergency services, an emergency youth shelter for anyone 10 to 17 years old, an LGBTQ+ support group, a drop-in center that offers hot meals and is open to ages 13-21, and more. 

At 1600 N. Huron River Drive, Ypsilanti, all of Ozone House's services are free, confidential and voluntary. For information about counseling, case management or to contact Ozone House's 24-hour crisis line, call 734-662-2222.

Packard Health

With two locations in Ypsilanti, Packard Health works in partnership with Community Mental Health to offer some behavioral health services, including mental health evaluation and referral, brief solution-focused therapy, psychiatry consultation, depression screening and case management, substance abuse assessment and referral, and treatment of co-occurring disorders. 

Additionally, Packard Health provides free appointments for insurance enrollment assistance. Packard Health's website states that it welcomes all patients, regardless of ability to pay.

Packard Health Ypsilanti is at 200 Arnet St., Suite 150 (first floor), in Ypsilanti, which is on bus routes No. 43, 44 and 45 of The Ride, Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority. Packard Health West Willow is in the New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church at 2345 Tyler Road, Ypsilanti, on bus route No. 44. It also has a main office at 2650 Carpenter Road, Ann Arbor, which is on bus routes No. 5A and 5B. Office hours vary by location.

National Alliance on Mental Illness

NAMI Washtenaw County offers mental health resources for people in the community, including support groups held on Zoom. Support groups are led by people with personal experience with a mental health condition who are trained in group facilitation, the NAMI website stated. Groups are available for both people who live with mental health conditions, as well as for family and friends of people with mental health conditions. 

Support groups are free to join and are not condition-specific, which means they are open to people with various diagnoses. Some diagnoses include anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis or addiction.

Groups for people who live with a mental condition meet the first, second, third and fourth Wednesdays of each month, 7-8:30 p.m. on Zoom. Participants must register online to join the group, with registration closing at 5 p.m. the day the group meets. The group is open to anyone 18 and older with a mental condition.

"Meetings are mainly devoted to discussion conducted with these guidelines and principles in mind, such as absolute confidentiality, respect for others and aiming for better coping skills," the NAMI Washtenaw County website stated.

Washtenaw Health Project

Need health insurance? The Washtenaw Health Project can help community members navigate through the health care system, guide people through applying for public benefits, assist with unpaid bills and medical debt, and provide a safety net program through The Washtenaw Health Plan for people who can't get other coverage.

Contact Washtenaw Health Project at 734-544-3030, open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., but closed with a break for lunch from 12-1 p.m. The Washtenaw Health Project staff are available at the county health department at 555 Towner St., Ypsilanti, with walk-in hours available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1–4 p.m. Questions can also be submitted to whp@washtenaw.org. 

For more information on what to expect in an appointment, visit the Washtenaw Health Project's informative webpage.

Emergency and crisis resources

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911.