HARRISON — State Rep. Vanessa Guerra (D-Saginaw) and members of the House CARES Task Force held its final meeting today at Mid-Michigan Community College in Harrison. Today’s meeting included testimony from a prosecutor, local law enforcement, and representatives from the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency and area Community Mental Health locations. After meetings in Howell, Grand Rapids, Auburn Hills, Lansing and Detroit, members of the task force will begin working on legislation to address the issues they have heard over the last few months.
“I’m glad that the task force came to a more rural part of the state, where more remote services can make access difficult. In addition, I’ve had the chance to talk to mental health providers and consumers in the Saginaw area,” Guerra said. “We’ve heard a lot of expert testimony and good ideas this summer, and I look forward to seeing what this bipartisan group can do to address these very complex issues.”
The bipartisan House CARES (Community, Access, Resources, Education and Safety) Task Force was formed to develop policy solutions to the opioid crisis, mental health resources, jail diversion and more. Interested individuals can submit a comment online at house.mi.gov/CARES.