St. Clair County Community Mental Health held an open house and grand reopening of its building at 135 Broadway St. in Marine City on May 29. Pictured are Marine City program supervisors Melissa Hunt and Jessica Schroeder cutting the ribbon as SCCCMH board chair Nancy Thompson and CEO Deb Johnson and guests look on. (Courtesy of Aubrey Mayhew)
St. Clair County Community Mental Health recently held an open house and grand reopening for its facility at 135 Broadway St. in Marine City.
In June 2023, SCCCMH moved from its Broadway Street building and opened a new Marin City office at 6221 King Road. The new location was previously a small manufacturing facility that was recently renovated. The move came about because SCCMH needed additional space for the services it provides in the southern region of the county.
“Once the building was completed and we were settled, it quickly became apparent that we still needed additional space,” said Aubrey Mayhew, SCCCMH Community Relations Specialist. “As the number of teams and service providers grows in the southern part of the county, the need for space remains. So we made the decision to retain our Broadway facility and Marine City Facilities Supervisor Melissa Hunt worked with the facilities team and management to come up with a renovation plan to meet our growing needs.”
She said maintaining and renovating the building has allowed SCCCMH to serve individuals who would prefer to travel alternatively for appointments.
“Broadway will primarily be an accessible location for people walking to appointments. This will allow us to increase the number of groups and support programs offered to residents in the south end of the county, while also providing space for the community to use if needed,” she said.
Currently, the Broadway Street facility has two community groups, including a veterans group, that any resident can participate in. Other groups for individuals receiving services through SCCCMH include cooking classes, anger management classes, social groups, peer power, creative arts, adult grief and loss, women’s yoga, and self-esteem and empowerment.
“With our two locations on Broadway and King Road in Marine City, we will serve the growing population in the southern part of the county and provide additional access points for individuals to receive our services,” Hunt said. “The Broadway building is designed to accommodate more groups, additional services and future growth, and we look forward to the opportunities ahead.”
Mayhew said SCCCMH began looking into the possibility of reopening its Broadway Street store soon after moving to its King Road store.
“As our services have grown and there is a need for access to those services in the south part of the county, it made more sense to keep the building for our programs,” she says. “By keeping and renovating the building, we will be able to offer a variety of classes and groups that support recovery. This will allow individuals receiving services in the south part of the county to have the same access to programs, classes and groups as those who live in our Port Huron facility or commute to Port Huron. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
The Broadway Street store’s open house and grand opening took place on May 29. The opening included a building tour for people who came to see the newly renovated space and a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Marine City Area Chamber of Commerce.
“The open house was an opportunity for local residents to see the repurposed space, introduce us to our staff and let them know about the programs and services that will be offered at this location,” Mayhew said.
She noted that approximately 50 people attended the event, including St. Clair County Sheriff Matt King, staff from SCCCMH’s contracting agency, many chamber of commerce members, Marin City Mayor Jennifer Vandenbossche and numerous SCCCMH and board members, including SCCCMH Board Chair Nancy Thomson.
“All of the feedback we’ve received, from staff to the individuals we serve to the community, has been extremely positive,” Mayhew said. “Providing this resource so close to the center of town will create many needed opportunities and services. The renovations are thoughtful and calculated to allow us to expand our programming for the community while providing the right space for future needs. We are very excited about the opportunities this space will bring to the community and our agency.”
Cherie Hanna, SCCCMH program coordinator, said the entire staff is “excited” to be returning to the downtown Marin City area.
“This is a vibrant community location and our staff is excited to add more groups, expand services to support local needs and continue to participate in the many fun events hosted by Marin City, such as last winter’s Fire & Ice Festival,” Hanna said. “We have already begun planning for the CMH float to participate in this year’s Maritime Days parade in August.”
Program Supervisor Jessica Schroeder added that she is proud of the difference SCCCMH is making to Marin City and the opportunities the expansion will provide.
“We are pleased to offer a wider range of programs and services to southern St. Clair County with two locations in Marine City,” said CEO Deb Johnson. “This expansion not only allows us to better serve the community, but it also sets the stage for our programs and services to continue to grow, ensuring access for all individuals who need our support. We are excited about the opportunity to offer new groups and classes, and remain committed to providing excellent care and service to all those we serve.”
For more information, visit scccmh.org or facebook.com/scccmh.
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