07/29/2026
Hello Ottawa County, Michigan. Have you made a plan to vote?
A Letter to the Editor
As conversations continue about the Mental Health Millage, it's important to understand that local millage dollars do much more than fund programs, they help bring additional funding into Ottawa County.
Many state and federal grants require organizations to provide local matching funds, and the Mental Health Millage allows Community Mental Health of Ottawa County to do exactly that. By investing local dollars, we become eligible to compete for grants that would otherwise go to other communities.
On August 4, 2026, Ottawa County voters will be asked to renew and restore the Mental Health Millage to 0.3 mills, as it exists currently. The Mental Health Millage would generate approximately $5.7 million in local funding each year, which will help unlock an additional $12 million annually for mental health services. Over the next 10 years, that translates into more than $120 million invested back into our community, funding that supports services our residents rely on every day. This creates a powerful return on investment for Ottawa County taxpayers.
This means every local tax dollar has the potential to bring additional resources into our county, expanding services without asking residents to pay more. Those grant dollars support programs that help children, adults, older adults, and families access mental health care, housing supports, crisis services, prevention programs, and other community-based resources.
The impact goes beyond the individuals receiving services. Grant funding helps strengthen partnerships with local schools, health care providers, nonprofits, and first responders while reducing the financial burden on local taxpayers. It allows Ottawa County to respond to emerging community needs and pilot innovative programs that improve lives.
An example of how the Mental Health Millage leverages grant dollars is our Permanent Supportive Housing program. Investing approximately $5,000 of millage dollars, leverages almost $1 million dollars in federal housing funding. This allows more people with serious mental illness to obtain stable housing and the services they need to remain healthy and independent. Similar opportunities exist across many of our community programs because we can demonstrate local commitment through the Mental Health Millage.
For more information on the Mental Health Millage, check out www.miottawa.org/cmh/millage
