MBN on the Road: Sara Lurie CMHA-CEI Interview - Greater Lansing Celebrates New Crisis Care Center!

MBN was on hand 22 months ago for the "wall breaking" and returned to capture Greater Lansing's celebration of its new Crisis Care Center. The September 22nd dedication ceremony brought the community together to celebrate a hub for 24/7 crisis, stabilization, and recovery support. 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 a chance 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 years of partnership, advocacy, and community support that turned a long-held vision into a welcoming hub of behavioral health care for the 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." The Crisis Care Center brings together several established CMHA-CEI programs that previously operated from different locations. Adult Crisis Services and Youth Crisis Services (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 community's first Crisis Stabilization Units, offering specialized short-term care for youths and adults. Together, these services create a more connected path to 24/7 urgent behavioral health care: Families Forward and Adult Crisis Services provide 24/7 walk-in care and crisis response for youth/families and adults, respectively. Bridges Crisis Residential Unit offers 24/7 supervision and treatment for adults who don't require hospital-level psychiatric care. The Recovery Center provides 24-hour medically monitored withdrawal management and connects people to continued substance use disorder treatment. The future Crisis Stabilization Units will expand short-term, specialized behavioral health care options. Housing these services under one roof creates a continuum of care, helps keep families together during a crisis, reduces unnecessary hospitalizations, and eases the burden on emergency departments. "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." Event details: Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, 3:30–5:30 p.m., opening remarks at 4 p.m., Crisis Care Center, 2900 Stabler St., Lansing, MI 48910. Care is available now: Adult Crisis Services, 517-346-8460; Youth Crisis Services, 517-346-8008; Recovery Center admissions prescreening, 517-267-7623 (24/7). About CMHA-CEI: The Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties provides a comprehensive range of person-centered, high-quality behavioral health, substance use, and developmental disability services to residents in the region. » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Watch MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: X.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/