City Council President Pro Tem James Tate leads creative City effort that seeks to learn how to best support the mental health concerns of residents

2024
  • The Detroit Health Department issues first of its kind Community Mental Health Attitudes Survey seeking 5000 participants
  • “Protect Your Crown” theme song written and performed by Pro Tem Tate released on all major music platforms

 

Snapshot -

  • In 2021, 31% of DPSCD student respondents reported having thoughts of suicide or self-harm. (University of Michigan Trails Report)
  • In 2023, Detroiters made 16,003 calls for mental health assistance and 4,617 suicide-related crises calls. (Detroit Police Department data)
  • 45% of Detroit residents shared in a survey published in 2023 that they are struggling in their overall wellbeing. (Detroit Resident Voices Survey)

 

Detroit City Council President Pro Tem James Tate is launching ‘Protect Your Crown’, a campaign that highlights the importance of maintaining one’s overall mental health and addressing any concerns without shame or fear.

“When you prioritize your mental well-being, you're likely to be more emotionally available, resilient, and better equipped to handle the challenges of life,” said Council President Pro Tem James Tate. “I believe It's an act of self-compassion and strength to prioritize your mental well-being and seek support when needed.”

In partnership with Pro Tem Tate’s Office, the City of Detroit Health Department is also granting full access to the online Community Mental Health Attitudes Survey. It’s the City of Detroit’s first citywide online collection of data focusing solely on resident mental health. The Detroit Health Department’s Denise Fair Razo, Chief Public Health Officer invites residents to participate in the call to action, as pivotal data guides the future of programming.

She states “Mental health is a serious issue, and the Detroit Health Department supports the ‘Protect Your Crown’ initiative. We want everyone who is facing mental health challenges to know there is help available, regardless of the ability to pay. Our collaboration with Councilmember Pro Tem James Tate will address the mental health challenges Detroit residents face and will make a positive impact within the community.”

All the information obtained from the 19-question survey is confidential with a goal of 5000 completed surveys. Each survey response will help the City of Detroit better understand the mental health needs of Detroiters and guide the City’s efforts to obtain resources that make the greatest impact. The survey can be found at https://bit.ly/pycattitudesurvey.

While Pro Tem Tate believes that the upcoming data collected directly from Detroiters is the optimal method of truly understanding what residents are experiencing, there are currently numerous studies that reflect the harsh realities of the mental healthcare challenges that Michiganders face. Here in Detroit, mental health care professionals have been experiencing a clear shift in the needs of their patients over recent years. Ms. Rhonda Miller is a licensed Clinical Therapist and owner of Clear Innervision Consulting Service located in Detroit City Council District 1. She has 27 years of experience providing mental and behavioral health services to individuals from all ages and gender demographics.

"Communication issues overall seems to be increasing in many different kinds of relationships," said Ms. Miller. "People are experiencing physical pains from stress and as a result of having much less patience with others. Having an understanding of how to have the ‘hard’ conversions would definitely be a benefit in addressing overall mental wellness."

To help spread the message of mental health awareness across various audiences, Pro Tem Tate wrote and performed Protect Your Crown (all the way down), the campaign theme song where he shares a glimpse into his own mental health journey. The Protect Your Crown (all the way down) single debuts today, May 22 and is available on all major music platforms - https://bit.ly/protectyourcrownsong

The Protect Your Crown mental health awareness campaign aims to empower each resident to prioritize their emotional well-being and safeguard their mental health like the precious crown it is. Stay tuned and follow along Instagram @CouncilmanTateJr and on Facebook at facebook.com/CouncilmemberTate/