The Drive, and the Towns on the Way
The drive is about 40 minutes. The Ogemaw towns between here and there are closer than West Branch itself: Lupton is about 29 minutes from our office, Rose City about 28, and Prescott about 28. If you are in one of those, you are nearer to us than you are to a good deal of West Branch.
West Branch is also the one town in this service area on I-75, which makes it the simplest place to reach from downstate, and the reason a fair number of people who are not local at all end up passing through it.
What People From Ogemaw County Come to Hale For
Forty minutes is a real drive, and people from West Branch and the rest of Ogemaw County make it to us for these things in particular.
- Anxiety counseling and depression counseling, which are what most people call about.
- Trauma therapy with a Certified Trauma Practitioner.
- ADHD counseling, including children from age three.
- Counseling alongside serious illness, which is one of the eight areas we work with.
- Couples and relationship counseling.
And sometimes people come simply because an appointment is available this month, which in a shortage area counts for a lot.
Clinical Supervision, From Anywhere in Michigan
Ann Marie Shay is approved to supervise limited licensed counselors under Mich. Admin. Code R 338.1781. Michigan has a persistent shortage of approved supervisors, and northern Michigan has very few, so limited licensed counselors travel further for supervision than they should have to. West Branch on I-75 is a straightforward run for anyone coming up from Bay City, Saginaw or Flint, and Hale is forty minutes past it. If you are accruing hours toward licensure, she would be glad to hear from you.
Supervision toward Michigan LPC licensure
Community Mental Health for Ogemaw County
Wellvance, formerly AuSable Valley Community Mental Health Authority, covers Iosco, Ogemaw and Oscoda counties and has a West Branch office at 989-345-5571. For Medicaid services, for anything we do not provide, and for a crisis, they are the right call.
Crisis Numbers for Ogemaw County
Call or text 988 any time. The Wellvance crisis line is 1-844-865-5569, 24 hours a day. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. More numbers.
The Shortage, in Numbers
Iosco, Ogemaw and Oscoda are designated together as a High Needs Mental Health Professional Shortage Area, HRSA designation 7261033101, with a designation population of about 53,800 and roughly 45,000 people counted as underserved. That is the context for every waiting list in this part of the state, including any you are already on. Call us anyway and ask what is workable.
Booking From Ogemaw County
Call (989) 728-2364, or leave your name and number, and tell us you are coming from Ogemaw County so we can offer times that suit the drive. We accept most major insurance plans: see which plans, and what to ask yours. We have written up what to expect at a first appointment, start to finish.