Ep. 57 - Mental Health and Crisis Support

[DONATE] In this episode of The Collective Us podcast, the Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency (NMCAA) explores the deep connection between mental health, housing instability, and access to care in Northern Michigan. Hosts Erica Austin and Ryan Buck speak with guests Hunter Lumsden, clinical supervisor at the new Crisis & Access Center in Traverse City, and Sarah Hughes, NMCAA’s Director of Housing Stability. Together, they highlight the growing mental health needs in the region, especially among individuals facing poverty, trauma, and homelessness. Access to timely mental health care remains a top barrier, made worse by a shortage of qualified professionals and systemic funding gaps. The newly launched Crisis & Access Center, open 24/7, provides walk-in support regardless of insurance and will soon include psychiatric urgent care services in partnership with Munson Healthcare. The episode also examines generational and cultural stigmas that prevent people—particularly older adults and men—from seeking help. Hughes emphasizes that stable housing is essential to recovery, describing how trauma from daily housing insecurity can spiral into deeper mental health crises. Both guests call for a community-wide shift in how we treat mental health and housing, urging policymakers and residents alike to see housing as a basic human right and mental health care as equally important as physical health. The podcast encourages listeners to reflect on their own mental health, offer compassion to those in crisis, and consider ways to support or advocate for systemic change.