Community Partnerships
Substance Use & Addiction Treatment
Since 2018, our clinical team has treated people with dual diagnoses by working with local programs like Skywood Recovery, Dawn Farms, Kalamazoo County Drug Court, Urban Alliance of Kalamazoo, and Michigan Medicine. Each week, our therapists work in the community to provide services that improve client outcomes.
Our lead therapists run weekly process groups and teach psychoeducation workshops for participants in intensive outpatient programs. We also offer PRN (as-needed) support to give full-time clinical staff a break.
These partnerships give our clinicians varied chances to do social work in different settings. We believe in embedded social work.
“Working with the substance use treatment facilities offers our social workers the chance to experience what group work is all about within a dual diagnosis inpatient facility. The level of compassion and insight clients share during their recovery journey is rewarding. Working with this population is a living reminder of how complex trauma gives rise to the need for self-soothing in the form of addiction.
Many of these individuals come from difficult family situations characterized by loss, abandonment, and all manner of abuse. As a society it is crucial for us to destigmatize addiction so that we can treat the underlying need for nurturing and compassion. Facilitating groups at Skywood provides a space for individuals to feel seen and heard, a place where their childhood wounds can be met without judgment by others who have gone through similar events.
It is also refreshing to work within a facility that is deeply dedicated to treating both addiction and substance abuse as well as comorbid mental health struggles.”
School Social Work
Since 2022, we have held a consistent role at K-12 buildings in several Metro Detroit counties along with a strong presence in alternative education schools and support for students in rural locations.
Social workers’ skills and knowledge also make them particularly well suited to take the lead in the emerging movement to improve school climate and promote social-emotional learning. We work with students and their parents, teachers, and staff to help them to get the proper services they need. School social workers don’t just serve families and students, but we also can provide school staff with essential information to help them better understand factors that may affect student performance and behavior.
We are working together with districts and counties to provide school-based social workers to more schools in Michigan. Currently, there is a massive decline and shortage of school-based social workers, but an incredible increase in anxiety, depression, and school refusal among school-age kids.
“Since social workers possess a wide range of skills, they can do more than monitor IEPs. They might support the community school strategy, train educators on identifying and responding to trauma, accompany educators on home visits to build positive relationships with families, and help identify gaps in school programming for which additional resources may be sought.”
Court Related Mental Health Services & Evaluations
Courts often require mental health or substance‑use treatment for DUI, misdemeanors, or felonies, Since 2022, we’ve partnered with the Michigan Department of Corrections, Kalamazoo County Drug Court, Washtenaw County Courts, and local law firms.
Outpatient therapy and/or embedded social work offers justice impacted persons to experience trauma informed, person centered care with dignity and respect - prioritizing trauma‑informed care over incarceration.
We provide care for individuals impacted by the justice system with diagnosed mental illness, co‑occurring disorders, violent offenses causing serious injury or death, or histories of criminal sexual conduct. DUI/OWI defendants receive substance‑use assessments that guide mandated counseling and relapse‑prevention. Treatment needs a referral (attorney or probation officer), pre-admission screening, and clinical assessment.
“Participation is voluntary but requires strict compliance. Successful completion (typically 12–24 months) can lead to charge dismissal or reduced sentence.”