Kalamazoo’s name is so distinctive strangers around the world have been known to break into song at hearing the name. With such a recognizable moniker you’d think Kalamazoo wouldn’t need nicknames, but through the years changing names have reflected the city’s refusal to stand still. The Zoo, Celery City and the Mall City are a few. The innovative thinking that brought downtown K’zoo the nation’s first pedestrian mall in 1959 continues to work today. Innovators have developed thriving life sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceutical firms. They build on the expertise of Kalamazoo’s universities. Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Davenport College all are centers of research, development and technology. They surround a downtown vibrating with condos, apartments and homegrown, top-notch restaurants. The universities are woven into the city’s social fabric and contribute to a cultural scene that Kalamazooans love to boast about. The Kalamazoo Symphony, Kalamazoo Institute of Art and a vibrant local theater community are a few of the offerings. Locals also love their festivals that fill the air with music and the scents of ethnic foods wafting over the Arcadia Festival grounds and the Kalamazoo River. Outdoor activities from biking on the Kal-Haven trail to disc golf and standard golf on a nationally-acclaimed course in Milham Park are the start of the city’s leisure side. Sports fans have competitive college teams, minor league baseball and hockey to follow. And it all comes with a Promise. All high school graduates who live in Kalamazoo qualify for a scholarship that pays 100 percent of their tuition at any public university or community college.
As behavioral health moves toward recovery-oriented models of care focused on trust-building and mutual respect, peer support work can prove to be a vital part of guiding clients through their recovery. Here are some local examples of this vital work.
With nearly three in 10 adults in the U.S. reporting symptoms consistent with depression or anxiety disorder since April 2020, telehealth has played a role in meeting the need for mental health services. Those who use telehealth and those who provide it talk about how it is going.
Many mental health professionals earn less than their medical counterparts despite advanced degrees, and find themselves hard-pressed to pay back oppressive student loan debt, especially in lower-paying public-sector jobs in rural and underserved areas. Here are some solutions for improving the situation.
Muchos profesionales de la salud mental ganan menos que sus contrapartes médicas a pesar de los títulos avanzados, y se encuentran en apuros para pagar la opresiva deuda de los préstamos estudiantiles, especialmente en trabajos del sector público con salarios más bajos en áreas rurales y desatendidas. Aquí hay algunas soluciones para mejorar la situación.
Si las personas no tienen opciones de atención culturalmente receptivas, es posible que no busquen atención y luego no puedan vivir la vida que quieren vivir. Esto es lo que está sucediendo localmente para brindar dicha atención.
If people don’t have culturally responsive care options, they may not seek care and then they can’t live the lives they want to live. Here is what's happening locally to provide such care.
The Spring 2023 Voices of Youth Kalamazoo drew 14 writers and artists. The subjects they chose included minority representation in Advanced Placement courses, challenges for high school transgender athletes, and the impact on youth mental health due to the rise in mass shootings. We'll be publishing their pieces throughout July.
Recent mass school shootings at Oxford High School and Michigan State University have added to the angst high schoolers are feeling about a national gun violence epidemic. Even when not directly involved in a mass shooting, youth experience related anxiety and trauma.
How did the truffle respond to the popcorn's proposal? Oil marry you! Entrepreneur Kari Stolpestead officiated the marriage of popcorn and truffle oil at Can-Do Kalamazoo — and it was love at first bite.
School's out for the summer and some youth may be feeling restless. Why not enroll in a Kalamazoo Park Recreation program, Kik Pool, WMU eSports, or Camp Kzoo? For free! Thanks to the Kalamazoo Friends of Recreation.
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