Nominate a Team

Have you noticed a team that deserves to be celebrated? Maybe they had recent success or they are just all-around awesome. We want to hear the stories of triumphs and celebrations! Use the form linked below to nominate and share a little bit about what makes that team special. They will be featured in the Compass and a staff newsletter. 

Walking Challenge

Congratulations to all staff participating in the Staff Support Committee's February Walking Challenge! You had 5,400 combined walking minutes.

Thanks to your support we were able to raise $120. $60 will be added to the FunD balance. The other half is awarded to the participant with the most minutes. This month's winner is Joseph Marshak, who logged 1343 minutes.

Tours of Club Interactions

Club Interactions is a Nationally Accredited Clubhouse program available to persons in services at HealthWest aged 18 and older diagnosed with a mental illness. Clubhouse provides opportunities for meaningful activities, skill building, and building social relationships.

Learn more about the variety of supports and services Club Interactions offers by touring and learning about our program. When you arrive at Club Interactions, you must always wear a mask while in the building and maintain social distancing.

NCAA Bracket Challenge is Back

The FunD committee is organizing another NCAA bracket challenge this year and are excited for you to join the challenge!

Entry is due by Thursday, March 16, at noon. Complete your picks for both the men's and women's tournament brackets by using the links below. Entry into the challenge is $2 per bracket for each tournament. All of the funds raised will be donated to a charity selected by the winner. ​​​​​​​

The password for both groups is: healthwest2023

Click here to join the Men’s tournament

Click here to join the Women’s tournament

Payment info:

Venmo: Send donation to @HealthWest

Paypal: Send donation to [email protected] (please use the "FRIENDS AND FAMILY" option and not "business" to help avoid fees)

Cashapp: Send donation to $HealthWest

Cash/check: Give to Gordon Peterman

Meet Rose, while Rose is only here for a week, interns are a crucial part of our HealthWest Family. And this picture says a thousand words! We LOVE the passion, enthusiasm, and creativity they bring to the workforce.

Most of our internship recruiting comes from Laurie Johnson’s cultivation of relationships with our higher education partners. Laurie does a phenomenal job working with our partners to find the best placement for students. She has been working night, day, and weekend for the last two months to get HealthWest interns and be present at recruitment fairs. Thank you Laurie for sharing your sparkling personality and passion for people with our staff, students, and partners!

People can also self-refer for an internship.

If you know someone looking to be placed for an internship, contact Laurie Johnson.

Many of you who work directly with the people we serve have already completed the Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) training. We thank you, and we are very encouraged by the positive feedback about this training. CALM saves lives!

If you have yet to start the CALM training, please know you can take it in “small bites.” Perhaps do 20 or 30 minutes at a time. You can always log back in, and it will hold your place. Once you have completed CALM, send your certificate to Gina in the Training Department. 

Here is a little refresher to keep in mind when working with someone here at HealthWest:

Lethal means counseling is a client-centered intervention, not a one-size-fits-all approach. Your approach and the language you use are important to making this conversation effective, whether speaking to your client or to their friends and family members. This graphic shows some general guidance.

A guiding approach that is collaborative and client-centered is usually best, such as that used in motivational interviewing. Seek input from the client about their own reasons for—and against—reducing access, their own safety concerns, and what they would be willing to do. A collaborative approach accepts the client’s values and works from the client's own motivations.

Maria Alvarado

Case Manager II, MI Adult Team 1

Start Date: 2/21/2023

Laura Case

Individual Placement & Support Worker, MI Adult Team 2

Start Date: 2/21/2023

Rhiannon McIntosh

Case Manager II, Transition Age Team/Adult

Start Date: 2/27/2023

Elizabeth McCarthy

Behavioral Analysis Technician, Autism

Start Date: 2/27/2023

Michelle Dalton

Client Support Specialist/Recovery Coach, Correctional Recovery Coach Services

Start Date: 2/27/2023

Chelsea Kelley

Infant Mental Health, GVSU

Start Date: 2/6/2023

Gabe Cerchiori

Outpatient Therapy, Western Michigan University

Start Date: 2/13/2023

Alisha Starr

Intensive Crisis Stabilization, Walden University

Start Date: 2/27/2023

Tony Newton

Senior Technology Analyst, Information Systems

Effective Date: 1/29/2023

Nate Cosier

Senior Technology Analyst, Information Systems

Effective Date: 1/29/2023

Linda Closz

Director of Health Information Services, Quality Assurance

Effective Date: 1/29/2023

Michelle Pouch

Police Clinician II, LEAD

Effective Date: 1/29/2023

David Davis

Clinical Services Supervisor, School Based Services

Effective Date: 2/6/2023

Lori Stevens

Accountant I, Finance

Effective Date: 2/13/2023

Randy Powers

Jail Diversion Coordinator, Corrections/In Jail Treatment

Effective Date: 2/21/2023

Julia Rupp

Executive Director, Executive Management

Effective Date: 2/1/2023

Kylie Gould

Behavioral Analysis Technician, Autism

Effective Date: 2/10/2023

Sonya Trimbur

Administrative Analyst, Finance

Effective Date: 2/10/2023

Louis Churchwell

Masters Level Clinician, Group Coordination

Effective Date: 2/21/2023

1 Year

Jake Richard

Elsie Goins

Erin Tucker

Chelsea Shirley

Felice Kelley

Rashanna Dotson

Lauren Davis

Charlisha Buchanan

Courtney Rudick

Kellie Bowen

Jakesha Andrews

2 Years

Taylor Thelen

Daniel Ellcey

Jessica Blanchard

Samantha Cummins

Ann-Marie Russo

4 Years

Amy Witt

Raelynn Nevins

Mary Halloran

5 Years

Shaun Roberts

Kelly Betts

Beth Slagboom

Mike Boxer

8 Years

Cree Vines

Nicole Skodack

9 Years

Amelia Burch

10 Years

Pam Kimble

11 Years

Carrie Crummett

21 Years

Michael Pyne

22 Years

Doug Striker

25 years

Brandy Carlson

37 years

Sue Hosler