News & Discussion

CMHA-CEI Presents the Distinguished Service Award

For Immediate Release

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Rachel McCoy, Public Relations and Outreach Specialist

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CMHA-CEI Presents the Distinguished Service Award
The Recipient will be awarded during the 2022 Virtual Annual Event

Lansing, MI - Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties (CMHA-CEI) recognizes Youth Haven as the 2022 Distinguished Service Award recipient. CMHA-CEI will present the Distinguished Service Award during the 2022 Annual Event, which will take place virtually on Tuesday, March 29^th, 2022 from 8:30AM to 11:30AM. The Distinguished Service Award is presented annually to community members who collaborate with CMHA-CEI to achieve our vision.

Youth Haven is a faith-based organization that first came to fruition in 1968, thanks to Founders Morry and Dorothy Carlson and Larry and Cheri Carlson. Its exclusive intent is to assist disadvantaged children and to instill encouragement, hope, and positive experiences in their lives. Youth Haven’s camp programs are designed to support clinical organizations by offering fun and engaging experiences to children. Their campuses in Michigan and in Arizona consist of a range of fun activities including, a pool, sledding hill, variety games, and a new zip lining activity that will be installed during the 2022 calendar year. Youth Haven serves approximately 1500 individual children and teens each year between their two campus locations, as well as with their mail and online outreach programs.

“During the holidays, youth who attend Youth Haven are gifted with multiple presents. It really is like a Santa’s Workshop,” states Paul Brooks, Senior Mental Health Worker with Families Forward. Paul has been working with Youth Haven for over 20 years, coordinating registration between the therapists, families, and Youth Haven to ensure the kids can have access to a weekend of fun activities. “Lars and Stephanie are the most accommodating and caring people that I know. The feedback that I get from therapists and parents about the kid’s experiences are so positive. All of the fun activities that kids get to do on a daily basis makes me want to continue doing this work,” states Paul.

“We offer spots to kids who are not only receiving services, but we also offer spots to their siblings as well. When CMHA-CEI works with various families, Youth Haven is often mentioned as a great resource to help these families,” stated Stephanie Carroll, Director of Program Scheduling and Volunteer Engagement at Youth Haven. “One of our most loved initiatives/activities is the Harvey and Friends Program. Harvey is a stuffed animal of a moose, which has turned into our mascot. Today, we have stuffed animals of Harvey the moose and about eleven other stuffed animals of different kinds that children can earn whether it is through good behavior, finishing their activities, or completing other programs”, stated Stephanie.

Youth Haven’s leadership has stayed in the Carlson family. Lars Carlson, President and CEO at Youth Haven, is a third-generation leader and describes the program’s expansions that he has witnessed and led over the years, “opportunity drives creation, and constraints drive innovation. During the COVID-19 shutdown of on-site programs, we realized that this was a time that kids needed encouragement more than ever. Our staff rallied together and created care packages that consisted of games, activities, goodies, and over a thousand hand written letters of encouragement to kids during the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated Lars.

That summer, Youth Haven created a virtual camp program where children could access a week long camp program from home. Children from across five states participated in the virtual camp, which normally would have not been the case during in-person camp programs. Today, on site programs have resumed, but through the COVID-19 pandemic, Youth Haven saw an opportunity to grow and learn how to provide off site programs when children are not on campus. “We continue to host virtual activities with children in other states and throughout Michigan,” stated Lars. “Our goal is to reach children across the country and to connect with more organizations, like CMHA-CEI, who have children in their care that can benefit from our activities and programs at no cost.”

Lars and Stephanie are thrilled to receive the CMHA-CEI Distinguished Service Award. “We are so grateful for the recognition, but it’s affirming for us to know that we are helping children and families that are accessing services within CMHA-CEI. We are grateful for the partnership and to receive the recognition is a blessing. We thank you.”

To learn more about Youth Haven, please visit their website at: https://www.youthhaven.org/

Community members can register for the free event by visiting the registration link here: https://bit.ly/AnnualEvent2022

Learn more about the services and programs at CMHA-CEI by visiting our website: www.ceicmh.org

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, directly and through partnerships, a comprehensive set of person-centered, high quality, and effective behavioral health, substance abuse, and developmental disability services to the residents of this community.

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