Sheriff urges public to fix Michigan’s broken mental health system

An Upper Peninsula sheriff in Michigan’s smallest county is making a public plea for more mental health services after a young driver smashed a car into trees to try to end a life.

A Facebook post, with a photo of the crumpled car, has been shared more than 6,000 times this week. That’s more than three times the population of Keweenaw County. The young driver survived the crash and was sent home with a “safety plan.”

Sheriff Curt Pennala says, “This does not sit well with us!” The sheriff says he’s not knocking Copper Country Mental Health Services. Pennala says the public must demand a meaningful discussion about Michigan’s “broken mental health system.”

This article originally appeared in FOX 47 News, read more here.

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