Local resources for support and protection
Law enforcement and local advocates agree sexual assault and domestic abuse are prevalent issues in Mount Pleasant and impact a variety of people you may not typically think of.
After conducting numerous interviews, the Society of Professional Journalists compiled a list of resources mentioned by community leaders for survivors of violence and assault. Not all organizations are necessarily included.
R.I.S.E. Advocacy
R.I.S.E. is an organization that specializes in providing free resources and services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Isabella, Clare and Gratiot counties. Services include advocacy, counseling and support.
According to its website, these services are available to all individuals, including “people of all genders, sexual orientations, races, ethnicities, ages or abilities,” as well as survivors’ children, family and friends.
R.I.S.E works to provide “safety and empowerment” to survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault through “shelter, treatment, education and social change,” its website said.
R.I.S.E is located at 2426 Parkway Drive, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, 48858. To contact the agency for its 24 Hour Crisis Line, call (844) 349-6177. For the office, contact (989) 773-0078.
Mount Pleasant Police Department
In a letter on the Mount Pleasant Police Department’s website, Chief Paul Lauria said the department is meant to “protect our community with pride, integrity and compassion.”
Officers receive continual training to keep policies and practices up to date. According to the letter, MPPD is committed to maintaining “two-way dialogue and implementing new concepts.”
One of the latest concepts the police department has acted on is a partnership with R.I.S.E. Now, MPPD works with Krysta Carabelli -- a crisis and trauma response clinician at R.I.S.E. who provides support, counseling and resources for survivors involved in cases such as domestic abuse, sexual assault, mental illness, substance abuse, trauma and suicidal thoughts.
Carabelli said she has started to see people get connected to resources faster, such as housing, counseling or support groups, because of the partnership.
To contact MPPD, call (989) 779-5100. To use its anonymous tip line, call (989) 779-9111. MPPD is located at 804 E. High St., Unit 2, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, 48858.
Central Michigan University Police Department
The Central Michigan University Police Department has over 20 police officers under the Michigan Commission Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES), CMU’s website said.
According to the website, CMUPD protects the campus, enforces positive interactions, conducts investigations and prepare for potential violent events.
In order to achieve a safe campus environment, CMUPD “utilizes standard patrol tactics, as well as specialized areas to suit our communities’ needs,” the website said.
Additionally, CMUPD provides a public safety app on CMU’s website called the Rave Guardian Smartphone app. It is available in the App Store as well as Google Play.
The app works with the Central Alert system to offer students, faculty and staff campus safety resources. Some of the features include text chats with CMUPD or the Office of Civil Rights and Institutional Equity, as well as the option to share photos or location, if needed.
Rave Guardian also allows individuals on campus to use a virtual safety timer so friends and family can monitor your location as you navigate campus.
For more information regarding the Rave Guardian App, visit RaveMobileSafety.com.
To contact CMUPD for police dispatch, call (989) 774-3081. For parking services, call (989) 774-3083, and for lost and found, call (989) 774-1835.
CMUPD is located at the Combined Services Building, 1720 East Campus Drive, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, 48858.
Office of Civil Rights and Institutional Equity
Located in Bovee University Center 306, CMU’s Office of Civil Rights and Institutional Equity (OCRIE) “strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity within its community,” CMU’s website said.
According to CMU, OCRIE works to ensure equal opportunity on campus through coordinating and monitoring the university’s efforts and programs in accordance with federal laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VII of the Higher Education Act.
Additionally, OCRIE offers and develops educational programs, as well as provides guidance and advice to all community members of the university.
On CMU’s website, students and faculty may fill out a report for harassment, discrimination or sexual and gender-based misconduct. The report is not confidential, as it notifies OCRIE and CMU’s Title IX coordinator.
The form also provides a list of resources for those on campus or located in Mount Pleasant. There is also a list starting on page 29 of the administrative policy packet offering guidance for those in Michigan and out of state.
To contact OCRIE, call (989) 774-3253 or email ocrie@cmich.edu.
Sexual Aggression Peer Advocates
Located in Foust Hall 150, Sexual Aggression Peer Advocates (SAPA) is a paraprofessional student organization that serves survivors of sexual aggression and trauma through 24/7 services during the fall and spring semesters, CMU’s website said.
Sexual aggression means anyone who has experienced stalking, sexual harrassment, domestic violence, intimate partner violence and sexual assault, SAPA’s brochure said.
Services include a confidential support line, text chats and direct in-person conversations to potentially explore any resources in regards to shelter, personal protection orders, police, medical, counseling, safety planning, reporting options and campus accomodations, the brochure said.
Advocates within SAPA receive over 50 hours of training and consist of CMU undergraduate and graduate student volunteers. Some topics of training include confidentiality, empathetic listening and advocacy skills, crisis intervention and diversity training, the brochure said.
To contact SAPA’s 24/7 crisis support hotline, call (989) 774-CALL (2255) or text (989) 621-3359. To contact the office, call (989) 774-6677 or email sapa@cmich.edu.
Isabella County Child Advocacy Center
According to the Isabella County Child Advocacy Center’s (ICCAC) website, the non-profit provides services and resources specifically for children of Isabella County who are “alleged victims of sexual abuse, severe physical abuse or (a) witness to violence.”
The facility focuses on supporting investigations of child abuse, including potential child abuse cases sent by local law enforcement or children’s protective services, which results in a “non-leading, non-threatening forensic interview,” the website said.
ICCAC provides services beyond forensic interviews, some of which are advocacy, prevention education for children and adults, mandated reporter training and Cribs for Kids, a grant-funded program that offers a safe sleeping space for infants.
Overall, the vision of ICCAC is to “create a community free of childhood sexual and physical abuse and neglect,” the website said.
To contact ICCAC, call (989) 317-8787. To report suspected child abuse, call (855) 444-3911. The office is located at 2479 Rosewood Drive N., Suite B, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, 48858.
Listening Ear
Listening Ear Crisis Center, also known as The Crisis Center, Inc., is a private nonprofit that provides services in Northern and Mid-Michigan, its website said.
This organization is licensed by the State of Michigan and serves over 30,000 people annually. Its mission, as stated on the website, is to “offer hope and opportunity by listening to, supporting and advocating for people who need quality services and safe, affordable housing.”
Some programs provided by Listening Ear include crisis and Information/referral services, which has over 400 helping resources.
Additionally, Listening Ear offers child and family services for prevention, emergency and treatment to children and adults, as well as residential services for those with developmental disabilities to “ensure comfortable living and promote independence,” the website said.
To contact Isabella County Listening Ear’s 24/7 crisis line, call (989) 772-2918. To contact Clare County’s location, call (989) 386-2774.
Listening Ear Isabella County is located at 107 Illinois St., Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48858.
Community Counseling Associates
Community Counseling Associates (CCA), located at 500 South Main St., Mount Pleasant, is a “group private practice of independent licensed professional counselors and master’s-level social workers,” its website said.
CCA works to provide reasonably priced accessible services, such as counseling, assessment and treatment to achieve a client's personal goals. The practice offers counseling for children, adolescents, adults, couples, families and in substance abuse situations, the website said.
To contact CCA, call (989) 773-0222.
Ronan Psychological Associates
According to its website, Ronan Psychological Associates (RPA) is a clinical practice that offers “state of the art psychological services” to the Central Michigan area.
The staff consists of doctoral-level practitioners that are trained in “a variety of psychological methods to address the needs of (its) diverse clientele,” the website said.
Some services RPA provides, as stated on its website, include individual psychotherapy for “a multitude of disorders, couples/marital therapy, family therapy, (and) group treatments.”
The practice offers treatment that is tailored to every individual's needs, including children, adolescents, teenagers and adults.
To learn more about the variety of RPA’s services, visit its website under the tab "Services Provided."
To contact RPA, call (989) 779-8899 or email admin@ronanpsych.com. The office is located at 201 S. University Ave., Suite 4, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, 48858.
Center of Hope Counseling
Located at 1001 Fairfield Drive in Mount Pleasant, Center of Hope Counseling was voted best counseling in Mount Pleasant for six years in a row, according to its website.
Several testimonials make up the center’s homepage on its website.
“Center of Hope has changed my life. Everyone there is so warm and caring.”
“We can be loved for who we are if we have the courage to let people in. Lisa (director of Center of Hope) helped me realize that I don’t need my eating disorder to cope with life.”
Services offered at the center include individual counseling with therapists specializing in anxiety, depression and eating disorders. There are also dietetic treatments for clients with eating disorders when it comes to calories and food information. However, insurance does not cover dietetic fees, which are $85 per session.
Center of Hope provides a list of accepted insurance providers on its website, but also said individuals may contact them for possible single-case agreements with your insurance provider.
To contact the Center of Hope, call (989) 954-4673 or fill out a contact form on its website under the "Contact Us" tab.
