PONTIAC, Mich. — Big changes are coming to adult crisis care in Oakland County. Starting January, the Oakland Community Health Network (OCHN) will take control of these services. This move ends a long relationship with Common Ground, which has offered crisis care since 2012.
The crisis center in Pontiac will continue operating in the same location, but its management will shift to OCHN. Dana Lasenby, the CEO of OCHN, believes this transition is an opportunity to improve coordination and service delivery during critical times.
Common Ground wasn’t expecting this change. Heather Rae, its president and CEO, voiced her concerns, highlighting the potential negative impact on both staff and the community. Common Ground may lose around $13 million in funding due to this decision, impacting about 175 employees, some of whom may not have jobs come the holidays.
Others in the field echo Rae’s worries. Dan Cherrin, from the MI Care Council, emphasized the risks of inexperienced management taking over such a sensitive area. He described how vital it is for experienced professionals to handle crises when individuals are at their most vulnerable.
OCHN plans to hire roughly 100 workers, potentially including some from Common Ground. Although Lasenby insists they are not trying to push Common Ground out, the lack of a clear transition plan raises concerns. The process may take most of 2026 to fully implement.
Recent studies show that mental health crises are rising, making effective services even more crucial. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, over 20% of adults in the U.S. experience mental illness each year. Ensuring these transitions are smooth can greatly affect community well-being.
As this change unfolds, both organizations hope to collaborate for the benefit of those in need, but only time will tell how effective this transition will be.
For more on mental health resources, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
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