VET SWMI Quarterly Face-To-Face

On 4-23-24, Our Veteran Navigator, Michele Pascoe, also the chair for the health care committee pillar for VCAT 8, met with 60 of our community partners regarding veteran services. They had presentations on VA residential programs, VA Community Care-what it is, what to expect, how you can help veterans navigate, and how the Patient Advocates can assist the veterans.

 VCAT 8 is A Veteran Community Action Team (VCAT) or VC (Veteran Coalition) that works to develop a network of service providers and community members dedicated to ensuring veterans and their families are served efficiently. Region 8 consists of Calhoun, Cass, Berrien, Branch, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van Buren. The VCAT focuses on four main pillars of service: employment, education, health care, and quality of life.

 If you or someone you know has served our country and is interested in learning more about resources specific to veterans, please reach out to Summit Pointe’s Veteran Navigator, Michele at 269-967-8946.

New Autism Center Brings New Programs, Room for Expansion

Recognition raises awareness about autism acceptance and promotes inclusion and connectedness for people with autism. Social and community support can help people with autism achieve optimal health and reach their full potential. In this Summit Pointe podcast episode, our own Mindy Oisten – Director of Autism Services – talks about the newly relocated Autism Center.

Now situated at 155 Garfield Avenue in Battle Creek, the Summit Pointe Autism Center offers added space and new programs—along with plans for further expansion.

Episode Resources
More about the Summit Pointe Autism Center
First Step/Summit Pointe website
More Summit Pointe episodes

PLEASE NOTE: The Summit Pointe Autism Center begins operations in its new location, 155 Garfield Avenue, Battle Creek, Michigan, on April 22, 2024.

The Summit Pointe podcast is a Livemic Communications production.  For more information, visit Livemic Communications

Partnering to Help Students with Autism

We explore another community connection between Summit Pointe and Calhoun Intermediate School District (CISD) to help bring greater support to Calhoun County. Mindy Oisten, Director of Autism Services at Summit Pointe, is joined by CISD’s Beth Opdycke and Jamie Rogers to discuss how this partnership achieves its goals.

The Summit Pointe Autism Center and the CISD realized that working together to help students with Autism – and their parents – brought comfort and solutions at what could be a difficult time. Tune in to learn how.

Episode Resources
More about the Summit Pointe Autism Center
First Step/Summit Pointe website
More Summit Pointe episodes

PLEASE NOTE: The Summit Pointe Autism Center begins operations in its new location, 155 Garfield Avenue, Battle Creek, Michigan, on April 22, 2024.

The Summit Pointe podcast is a Livemic Communications production.  For more information, visit Livemic Communications

Focusing on Resilience and Empowerment for Young People

Taking time to illuminate another of Summit Pointe’s powerful community connections in Calhoun County, we turn our attention to Starr Commonwealth.

With a 100+ year focus on healing the effects of trauma for young people, Starr Commonwealth’s EVP Derek Allen and our own CEO at Summit Pointe, Jeannie Goodrich, began to see some common goals – and how to achieve them by working together.

In this episode, the pair talks about what motivated them – and the amazing outcome called “the REC” – or Resilience and Empowerment Center – a partnership that includes the Battle Creek Family YMCA and some local schools. Click to hear more.

Episode Resources
Starr Commonwealth website
The REC website
Summit Pointe/First Step website
More Summit Pointe episodes

The Summit Pointe podcast is a Livemic Communications production.  For more information, visit Livemic Communications.

Looking Back – and Forward – After Three Years at First Step

Summit Pointe’s First Step Behavioral Health Urgent Care at 175 College Street in Battle Creek opened in March 2021. There were not many examples nationally of such an urgent care, but there was one – and it impressed our CEO Jeannie Goodrich when she toured it.

Three years after that inspiration became a reality in Calhoun County, Jeannie is joined by Travis Atkinson of tbd Solutions to discuss how the vision became a reality, how the concept is evolving, and how Jeannie envisions First Step’s future.

Episode Resources
Summit Pointe First Step Psychiatric Urgent Care

More Summit Pointe episodes

The Summit Pointe podcast is a Livemic Communications production.  For more information, visit Livemic Communications.

A Career in Social Work is Rewarding

Have a calling to help people? Change lives? A career as a social worker offers the rewards of doing just that – even saving lives.

That’s what we hear in this episode of the Summit Pointe podcast from one of our directors, Lakeyta, whose social work career in community health “chose her,” but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Episode Resources
Summit Pointe First Step Psychiatric Urgent Care

More Summit Pointe episodes

The Summit Pointe podcast is a Livemic Communications production.  For more information, visit Livemic Communications.

Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department and Summit Pointe Change Lives

Calhoun County Sheriff Steve Hinkley joins Summit Pointe justice systems lead Taneisha to share their perspectives on how the Jail Services program has advanced in recent years.

Episode Resources
Summit Pointe First Step Psychiatric Urgent Care

More Summit Pointe episodes

The Summit Pointe podcast is a Livemic Communications production.  For more information, visit Livemic Communications.

First Step Collaborates with Bronson Battle Creek Emergency Department

Summit Pointe Clinical Director Sean Field and Paul Bodenberg, who has overseen the Bronson Battle Creek ED, talk about how both entities have been able to level-up behavioral health services.

Episode Resources
Summit Pointe First Step Psychiatric Urgent Care

Bronson Battle Creek website

More Summit Pointe episodes

The Summit Pointe podcast is a Livemic Communications production.  For more information, visit Livemic Communications.

Summit Pointe Can Help Understand and Deal with Stress

Summit Pointe Clinician Lesa discusses how stress affects the body and mind, as well as some of the typical responses humans use as a result.

Episode Resources
Summit Pointe First Step Psychiatric Urgent Care
More Summit Pointe episodes

The Summit Pointe podcast is a Livemic Communications production.  For more information, visit Livemic Communications.

I/DD Support: Transforming Lives in Calhoun County

In this episode, Summit Pointe Care Manager Kristi highlights how the team assisting those with intellectual or developmental disabilities puts them in a position to significantly change their lives. Perhaps even save them. Listen now to our podcast facilitated by Richard Piet with Livemic Communications.

Episode Resources:
Summit Pointe I/DD website
Summit Pointe website
Summit Pointe First Step Psychiatric Urgent Care

More Summit Pointe Episodes on Livemic Communications

The Summit Pointe podcast is a Livemic Communications production.  For more information, visit Livemic Communications.