Ottawa Community Schools Network (OCSN) was formed in August of 2017 as a collective effort to better integrate health and human resources into our schools. The program was created due to the rising mental health needs of the youth in our communities, and the fact that many young students were lacking access to professional care.
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One of the biggest barriers for kids to receive the support they need is finding and getting to the resources that provide it. OSCN removes this barrier by placing a community coordinator into school buildings to identify and assess kids in need of mental health support. On-site resources are then provided to address those needs - bringing the resources to the kids instead of the other way around. Something that would not be possible without funding from Ottawa County’s Mental Health Millage.
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“Money from the millage has been vital for this program. It has helped students get the correct type of mental health services so they are able to just be in class and learn and not be worrying about whatever else might be happening outside
of school.” - Caroline Geist - Director of Ottawa County School Network
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This year, millage dollars allowed OSCN to expand from 3 districts and 5 schools to 6 districts and 11 schools, helping even more middle school kids at a crucial age in their development by giving them support, encouragement, tools, and options
to cope with adverse childhood experiences. Many schools and families are seeing the value in the program and the hope
is it will continue to expand.
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“We have seen a great deal of success stories, and most of all a change - a shift - in how our community and kids and their families view getting support for mental health. Now, families reach out to us for help. That’s when you know it’s really making a difference.” - Nick Cassidy - Principal, Holland Middle School
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OSCN was created to meet the critical need of helping our youth get mental health support,  but it has also proven to instill in these students a belief in themselves and a belief that they can have a better future. As Principal Cassidy has pointed out, “ It’s not only an investment in kids now, but also for generations to come.”
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“If a kid can walk away with a sense that there’s a person who believes in me, believes I have value, believes I can make choices to take my life in a different and better direction...we’ve won something there.”
‍- Bob Herman - OSCN Mental Health Counselor