Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative (SWMJC) is a dynamic group of 12 partners representing media, educational or community organizations dedicated to strengthening local journalism. We support and enhance the news ecosystem in Southwest Michigan, to provide accurate and equitable coverage, and to promote diversity of voices among journalists and sources alike.
A solutions-oriented journalism initiative covering mental health issues in Southwest Michigan.
A sudden lack of baby formula can be another mental health stressor for parents at a time of intense pressure. Formula can be a nutritional life saver, but its prominence has come at the expense of unrivaled mother nature’s milk.
In 2006, Susan Brown lost a close friend to suicide. Another friend died the same way in 2011. The two incidents left her reeling. Both men were highly accomplished, with plenty of resources at their disposal. If even people in that position could succumb to mental illness, what did that say about the status of mental-health care?
Maybe it’s because of spikes in anxiety and depression during the pandemic. Or maybe it’s the fact so many more people — celebrities and ordinary folks alike — are opening up about their own mental-health struggles.
Call it a silver lining of the pandemic. After generations of being an issue swathed in shame and stigma, mental health is finally getting the attention it deserves. The stigma is easing. Positive changes are happening. State and federal policymakers are allocating hundreds of millions of dollars to expand services and improve access.
We call them heroes. We call them rock stars. But when it comes to meeting the emotional and social needs of educators, have school districts been paying enough attention to teachers.
What can be better than a good friend? A good friend who understands the journey you are on because they have walked it, too. It’s called peer support.
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