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Adults with Mental Illness
The Michigan Mental Health Code defines mental illness as “a substantial disorder of thought or mood that significantly impairs judgment, behavior, capacity to recognize reality, or ability to cope with the ordinary demands of life.”
Serious mental illness has a far more complex definition, but the outstanding characteristic of a serious mental illness is that it has resulted in functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities. Serious mental illness includes dementia with delusions, dementia with depressed mood, and dementia with behavioral disturbance. Under some circumstances, addictions or developmental disorders can also be considered mental illness.
Mental illness is typically the result of a biological disorder in the brain, and can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, race, education, or income. Mental illness is not necessarily disabling; many people with mental illnesses have been very accomplished.
There are several areas that must be evaluated to determine if an individual is eligible to receive services through St. Clair County Community Mental Health Authority. Among these are:
The ARC of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Community Health published a brochure you may find helpful: A Resource Guide for Families Dealing with Mental Illness. Also, you can visit the links to the left for more information about specific disorders.
For more information, or to determine eligibility for services, contact the St. Clair County Community Mental Health ACCESS customer services hotline Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at 1-888-225-4447. Crisis help also is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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