Chris Holman welcomes Gwenda Summers, the new Chief Executive Officer of the Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties (CMHA-CEI)—which operates Lansing’s new 24/7 Crisis Care Center.

Gwenda and Chris discuss her new CEO of CMHA-CEI, role in leadership, at the new 24/7 Crisis Care Center, and strengthening behavioral health services across the region, in the YouTube video shared below:

Chris had several questions for Gwenda in this conversation:

• Welcome Gwenda, remind the Michigan business community about Community Mental Health Authority?

• You’ve spent years working closely with youth and families through Families Forward at CMHA-CEI. As you step into the CEO role, what are you bringing from that experience into how you’ll lead CMHA-CEI as a whole?

• You’re taking on this role at an important moment, with the new Crisis Care Center bringing more services and levels of support together in one place. What does the center represent for where CMHA-CEI is headed?

• Through your work in youth crisis services, you’ve seen firsthand what individuals and families need when they’re navigating some of their hardest moments. How will that perspective shape your priorities as CEO?

• The Crisis Care Center is built around making behavioral health support easier to find and more connected. As you look ahead, where do you see the greatest opportunities to continue strengthening that continuum of care across our community?

• You’re stepping into this role after a period of significant growth and change for CMHA-CEI. What do you hope the next several years look like for the organization and for the people and communities it serves?

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Meanwhile last month, MBN had been on hand then and 23 months ago for the “Wall Breaking”; they joined in to capture the event- Greater Lansing Celebrates New Crisis Care Center

September 22nd dedication ceremony brought the community together to celebrate a hub for 24/7 crisis, stabilization, and recovery support. This video captures leaders’ remarks from the podium and then the ribbon-cutting. Speakers included Sara Lurie (CMHA-CEI), Mayor Andy Schor, Ryan Sebolt (Ingham County Board of Commissioners and CMHA-CEI Board), Amy Epkey (MDHHS), Bob Sheehan (CMHA of MI) and US Senator Debbie Stabenow.

Shared first is an interview with CMHA-CEI CEO Sara Lurie about the occasion.

Shared second are highlights of the leaders remarks ahead of the ribbon cutting ceremony.

LANSING, Mich. — A place built around hope, support and healing welcomed the community that made it possible on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

The Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton, Eaton and Ingham Counties (CMHA-CEI) welcomed Greater Lansing residents, families, partners, advocates and community leaders to celebrate the dedication of its new Crisis Care Center at 2900 Stabler St. in Lansing, on the former McLaren Greenlawn campus.

Opening remarks began at 4 p.m., followed by a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and an opportunity for community members to learn more about the center and the care available inside.

The dedication marked more than the opening of a new center. It recognized the years of partnership, advocacy, and community support that turned a long-held vision into a welcoming hub of behavioral health care for the Greater Lansing region.

“This center belongs to a much bigger story of people across our community choosing to show up for one another,” said Sara Lurie, CEO of CMHA-CEI. “For years, our teams have cared for youth, adults and families experiencing a crisis. Now, those services have a shared home, alongside new stabilization support designed specifically for our community. This dedication gives us a chance to honor how far we’ve come and celebrate a new chapter of care for Greater Lansing.”

The Crisis Care Center brought several established CMHA-CEI programs that previously operated from different locations together in one place. Adult Crisis Services and Youth Crisis Services, also known as Families Forward, moved to the center in June, followed by the Bridges Crisis Residential Unit in July and The Recovery Center in August. Still in the works, the center will also add the community’s first Crisis Stabilization Units with dedicated specialized short-term care for youths and adults.

Families Forward provides 24/7 walk-in care and crisis response for youth and their families, while Adult Crisis Services provides the same around-the-clock support for adults.

Bridges Crisis Residential Unit provides 24/7 supervision and treatment for adults who do not require the intensity of treatment provided in a psychiatric hospital setting.

The Recovery Center provides 24-hour medically monitored withdrawal management and connects people with continued substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery support.

The Crisis Stabilization Units will expand the region’s options for people who need short-term, specialized behavioral health care and stabilization.

Housing these crisis services under one roof provides a continuum of care that helps patients receive the care they need, while keeping families together as they navigate a crisis. It can also reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and ease the burden on emergency departments, while keeping people connected to care as they take their next steps.

“A crisis can feel overwhelming. Finding the right support shouldn’t add to that,” said Gwenda Summers, director of Families Forward and incoming CEO of CMHA-CEI beginning Oct. 9. “By bringing these services together, we can make support easier to find and help individuals and families feel safe, seen, and supported. It’s how we create more pathways toward hope and healing in our community.”

The dedication gave community members an opportunity to see the new space and celebrate the milestone for behavioral health care across Greater Lansing.

Event details: Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026 3-5:30 Opening remarks at 4 p.m.

Crisis Care Center
2900 Stabler St.
Lansing, MI 48910

Care is available now. Those experiencing a mental or behavioral health crisis can call Adult Crisis Services at 517-346-8460 or Youth Crisis Services at 517-346-8008 for immediate support. People seeking Recovery Center services can call 517-267-7623 at any time, 24 hours a day, to complete a brief prescreening and arrange admission.

About Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties (CMHA-CEI):The Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties (CMHA-CEI) provides a comprehensive range of person-centered, high-quality behavioral health, substance use, and developmental disability services to residents in the region. Through direct care and partnerships, CMHA-CEI is dedicated to meeting community needs with innovative and effective support systems that empower individuals, foster recovery, and enhance quality of life.