Michiganders have been taking their pop bottles and cans back to grocery stores for nearly half a century to collect a deposit.  But that’s changing.

A recent study shows fewer people are returning those bottles and cans—even though the containers are still being recycled.

Bill Wild is the president of the Midwest Independent Retailers Association (MIRA). He spoke with WDET’s Jerome Vaughn last week at the Mackinac Policy Conference.

Wild says his organization is working to take retailers out of the recycling chain.   He says stores don’t want the hassle of having to process bottles and cans.  And he says they have concerns about contaminants that used containers can bring into their retail space.

Wild says there are several models that Michigan could use to more efficiently recycle cans and bottles. That includes using curbside recycling, or transitioning to central drop-off centers.

Reported Lyme Disease cases in Michigan nearly quadrupled between 2022 and 2025.

Blacklegged ticks (deer ticks), which transmit Lyme Disease hitch rides on hosts like white-tailed deer to migrate across the state. The disease is now endemic across much of southern Michigan, including Southeast Michigan.

In areas where Lyme disease is prevalent, it’s estimated up to 50% of adult deer ticks harbor the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease, Borrelia burgdorferi.

Blacklegged ticks are most commonly found in heavily wooded areas with lots of brush or dry leaf piles. 

Identification

There are several kinds of ticks in Michigan, including the dog tick. Only Blacklegged ticks (Deer ticks) carry Lyme disease, so identifying the species of tick, if possible, is an important part of diagnosis.

Prevention

There are several prevention methods that, used together, help reduce tick bites. Follow safety instructions with particular attention for children and pets.

• Daily tick checks after spending time outdoors where ticks are prevalent
• Apply EPA-approved insect repellents such as DEET, Picaridin, and Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus,
• Treat clothes with Permethrin
• Wear light-colored clothing and tuck your pants into your socks. 

Symptoms

Lyme disease symptoms may include rashes, muscle or joint pain, headaches, and even neurological issues such as Bell’s palsy (facial paralysis). If you’ve been bitten by a tick or suspect that you have, doctors can administer an prophylactic dose of doxycycline within 72 hours to reduce the chances of contracting Lyme.

However, if you miss this window, duration of treatment with antibiotics goes up as time from contracting illness and symptom severity increases.

Guests

• Dr. Jean Tsao, professor and tick researcher in Fisheries and Wildlife department at Michigan State University
• Dr. Peter Gulick, professor of Medicine at Michigan State University

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

Democrats control the state senate and the governorship. The squeaky wheel is the Michigan House – controlled not just by Republicans but by Speaker Matt Hall who has often taken an antagonistic stance toward Democrats. 

House Democratic Leader Ranjeev Puri spoke to WDET about previous budget problems and Speaker Matt Hall.  

Puri: It’s going better than last year. Unfortunately, last year, noticeably, the speaker dragged the budget out well past the constitutional deadline into September, October. This year, I think there is a motivation to try to get it done on time. 

McNamara: So, what’s the difference there in the motivation? Is it embarrassment after last year, or is it more familiar with the process, or is there better communication? 

Puri: I think it’s a little bit more the former. I think he’s understood the pitfalls of trying to play political games with so much of the state’s resources, and resources that so many institutions count on, and so it’s hard for these groups to budget for the year, not knowing and having so much uncertainty of that money is actually coming through, and so I think they got an earful around the state about that, and then noticeably there is a big election around the corner, and it’s time to get out of Lansing and into your districts. 

McNamara: Right, so everybody can go out and campaign a little bit. So, what are the main priorities for Democrats in the state budget? 

Puri: We want to continue to fight for critical programs and making sure that the investment happens again. We have a pretty large state budget relative to other states, and we want to make sure that we’re funding programs that millions of Michiganders count on, so making sure that we’re continuing to do our best from a state standpoint to work against H.R.1 federally, the Big Beautiful Bill, and so just making sure that health care access is as strong as possible in the state of Michigan, making sure we’re funding our schools and doing whatever we can to put programs out there making sure that Michiganders can succeed around the state. 

McNamara: Speaker Hall likes to rail against waste, fraud and abuse. I’m guessing that your definition of waste, fraud and abuse is maybe a little bit different. Is there some compromise to be had, where you can see some pork to trim, as it were. 

Puri: I think every elected official, Republican or Democrat, wants to be stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars. I think that is an immense responsibility given to us, and no one wants to see government money spent inefficiently. I think the reality is to these conversations is that you can’t just take a sledgehammer to the budget and call it all waste, fraud and abuse. He took money away from newborns. If we’ve gotten to a place in our political discourse that’s saying that newborns are waste, fraud and abuse, we’re just not going to agree. And I think, unfortunately, the reality of the conversation is that there are so many non-negotiables out there of things that we need to be doing to make life easier for Michiganders, and if you just call everything in the budget waste, fraud and abuse, it doesn’t magically become true. And I think he learned the lesson the hard way last year, and so that’s why you’re seeing a little bit different of an approach—but of course, you know he loves the political gimmicks, and being able to call everything waste, fraud and abuse, and then just throws everything into that bucket as if it’s magically some cure-all. But the reality is that the budget is $80 some billion. That should be scrutinized where we spend it, but we don’t need to call every program waste, fraud and abuse. 

McNamara: Is there a hard line, something you refuse to go back down if the budget line on this is staying where it is? 

Puri: Again, same thing as last year, it’s the school meals. I think Michigan has set a standard around the country in terms of what we can do to provide access to making sure that a Michigan student in all corners of the state is guaranteed a meal, both breakfast and lunch, at their local public institution, and I think that’s something we should take a lot of pride in, just being able to make sure that kids are learning on a full belly. The speaker wanted to make that a political fight last year, and fortunately, we were able to come out on top, and that’s going to be another priority this year as well.  

McNamara: Part of that is addressing food insecurity for a lot of kids. The cost of living is going back up again. Gas prices have gone up considerably. The Trump administration and Congress have taken millions of people off of SNAP benefits. So, what is the state of Michigan doing to kind of help address that, even outside of the school meal program? 

Puri: It’s been a priority for the House Democrats. We introduced legislation to try to backfill some of that, but the reality is that the state’s treasury is never going to fill the government coffers, the federal government coffers, when they decide to do something, and a substantial amount of our state budget, I believe roughly 40, 41% of our state budget comes back from federal funds coming back to back to Michigan, so when the feds decide to decide to do something, it does have a very material impact to the way the state can operate, and so cutting SNAP benefits has affected millions of people in Michigan, and it is again one of those critical programs that I’m speaking of that we need to be doing whatever we can, and so I’m glad you brought that up. I tell people we need to be Trump-proofing our state. It’s a time when we need to put the Democrat-Republican hat down and making sure we’re fighting for Michigan. Unfortunately, Speaker and House leadership right now on the Republican side, we’ve seen them rubber-stamp everything out of DC, even when those policies can disproportionately affect Michigan. When they get into those economic trade policies, we have an auto industry that relies on foreign trade, so those things disproportionately affect Michigan. Those things might poll great in Oklahoma or Alabama, but Michigan, we take a lot of pride in who we are and what the state means, and so it’s about time we have people that are standing up for our state of Michigan. 

McNamara: How is your relationship with Matt Hall? I realize the Matt Hall you might get behind closed doors is a little bit different than the one that has his press conference, and he does tend to go on. However, can you go to him and just talk with him? 

Puri: I cannot. To his credit, he is the same, both on and off camera. Our relationship is largely nonexistent. 

McNamara: Gotcha. So, I know we’re at a place, and it seems like the theme of the Mackinac Policy Conference is always bridging a better tomorrow. Where can we find compromise in all that? Do you find sometimes the rhetoric that just kind of overlooks the reality of the current political climate? 

Puri: Yes, I think you can’t lose sight of civility and the need for things to get done in a better way. The voters in Michigan last year wanted split government, in ‘24 they voted for split government, and so we should be acting as such. The reality is that the House Democrats have a majority of 58-52 but our world and politics shouldn’t be binary. That shouldn’t give them exclusive control to dictate every single thing we do. They shouldn’t bring a lens, as if they are in some sort of Republican trifecta, to how they approach their work. There just hasn’t been a willingness from House leadership to work in a bipartisan manner, like I said, our relationship is largely nonexistent. I’ve from the start extended my hand trying to find a way to work for Michigan, team Michigan, and that hasn’t been the dynamic that the speaker has wanted, and so unfortunately we’re all human, and so you can pick up on that at some point, and we’ve been fighting again as House Democrats, we have been standing up for those values that we hold dear, like making sure that everyone has access to food and health care and education, and bringing down the affordability crisis, and being able to stand up against the federal administration when we think that it’s not acting in Michigan’s best interest, but the other reality is that we do have a pretty monumental election around the corner here in November, and as we get closer, more and more eyeballs are turning to November and looking for the dynamic to change in just a few months. 

McNamara: Does it seem like the political winds are blowing in a way they are nationally?  

Puri: As crazy as our political discourse becomes, I think one thing that we can all agree, you don’t mess with is gas prices. I don’t know how you defend $5 gas in Michigan, that’s just not me. Again, two or three weeks ago, there was a special election in Senate District 35. There was a 20-point correction from November just a couple months ago, and a 20-point swing in the Democrats’ favor. If you apply that statewide, that’s going to be massive, massive wins for Democrats up and down the ballot. So, I think there’s tremendous amount of tailwinds right now, and there’s a lot of excitement for trying to send a mandate out to Washington that again, the policies have just not been Michigan first. 

The Michigan Department of State (MDOS) automatically registers eligible people to vote if they apply for or renew a state ID or license as of 2019. Now voters can opt out of registration if they choose.  

In 2018, Michigan voters approved a constitutional amendment to automatically register those applying for a state ID and drivers license. Now they will also receive mail notifying them of the registration. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for preregistration or registration.

The new changes add an option to opt out by mail with a pre-stamped, pre-addressed envelope from the MDOS. Voters can also send a written request to their city or township clerk to cancel their registration.  

Additional headlines from Monday, June 1, 2026

Detroit Community Conversation

The City of Detroit is hosting a community conversation to improve access to services for people who are deaf, blind or hard of hearing. The “Building Barriers & Building Bridges” event will focus on improving access and inclusion in the city.

Presenters include Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, the Ombudsman for the City of Detroit; Jade E. Matthis, the Director of Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity; and Christopher Samp, the Director of the Office of Disability Affairs.  

The event takes place Tuesday, June 2 from 5-7 p.m. at the Wayne County Community College District NW Campus. That’s 8200 W. Outer Drive, Detroit, Michigan.  

An American Sign Language Interpreter will be available.  Light refreshments will be served.  

Men’s mental health with the Michigan Chronicle

The Michigan Chronicle is hosting an event on mental health for Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. The Safe Space: How to Support Black Men’s Mental Health panel will feature Black community leaders. Practitioners will also share resources and lead a guided meditation. Joseph Williams, Head of Content at Word in Black, will moderate the event.

Speakers include Dr. Jason Phillips, a therapist and life coach; Brian Sims, a healthcare entrepreneur and community organizer; and Senbi Akau Spruill, a meditation leader. The event will be held virtually on June 3 from 6-7:15 p.m.  

Homeownership classes 

Gesher Human Services is hosting free homeownership classes next week. It’s part of National Homeownership Month. The Homeownership Empowerment Week is a series of classes from June 8-12 to guide potential and current homeowners on purchasing and managing homeownership.

The first class is in person at the Gesher headquarters building at 29699 Southfield Road in Southfield, Michigan. People can sign up for a 30 minute slot to get a free credit report with a financial education counselor between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The rest of the classes will be held on Zoom between June 9-12 at noon. 

Detroit has a 54% homeownership rate, which is 9% less than the national average. Gesher Financial Education Manager Laltsha Cunnigham says June is a great time to access homeowner resources. She says the courses are aimed to quote, “make home ownership a reality for more families.”  

The City of Detroit offers up to $25,000 in down payment for pre-paid or closing cost assistance when people purchase a home through $9 million in funds from the Community Development Block Grant and the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief. 

Gesher courses will cover debt management, the path to ownership, and what to do if homeowners default on their mortgage. Classes will be taught by Housing and Urban Development (HUD) certified homebuyer education counselors. 

To register, visit geshermi.org/events or call 248-233-4299. 

Editor’s note: Corrections were made on the timeline of automatic registration, the mandated notification of automatic registration and opt-out process but are not reflected in the broadcast version of this podcast. We apologize for the error. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Access to mental health care for young people is an issue gaining more attention in the U.S.  Studies show social media use has changed the landscape for many adolescents.

Sarah Masad is a therapist at My Mental Wellness, a free mental health clinic located inside the Islamic Center of Detroit.

She says many girls come in with body issues stemming from social media usage.

“There’s a lot of depression that comes with that, a lot of family issues that come with that, feeling misunderstood, ” she explains.

She sees clients between 7 years old and 27 years old from Arab American and South Asian communities.

Masad says the clinic offers the option of incorporating faith-based therapy into sessions. 

“I do see that identity struggle a lot too, figuring out what they believe in, what their values are, with what they want to do, and then that struggle is like what they want to do versus what their family says, or what society says,” she shares.

Masad says a lot of people are also turning to ChatGPT, when they don’t have access to their therapist. She says this can be harmful for people who may be dealing with extreme delusions or other mental health issues. As a therapist, she tries to play a supportive role.

“I think that it’s like the struggle with dealing with the AI and social media, and being young, and then also trying to be their therapist, and make sure that they know that I’m with them and not against them, have some sort of like authority trying to make you a better person.” 

“The best thing I think for trauma is meeting them where they’re at, and also giving them autonomy.”

She works with clients to provide different strategies that may work for each client.

“Every single person is different…even if that person is dealing with these very, very similar trauma. The way that they are dealing with it and the way that they are coping with it is not the same.

Creating access to faith-based mental health care

The Islamic Center of Detroit opened the My Mental Wellness clinic in 2024 as a fully staffed mental health clinic to provide free services and remove stigma and barriers to accessing care. 

Masad says she was drawn to work in this space.

“I felt more fulfilled and allowing me to have the space to do support groups was another big thing, and creating these events for my clients, curating events for my clients, so that there’s a thing for everybody,” she says.

Previously, she’s held peer groups for young professionals who are the children of immigrants, exploring the toll it may take on people and their daily lives, and future career choices. 

She’s also starting a Sisters Stroll, a guided meditation with nature walks for people to meet new people and go outdoors together. 

“I have a deep passion for nutrition and health in the world, and teaching people how to take care of themselves even when they’re at their low point,” she explains.

Masad says she’s trying to teach people more about the connection between gut health and mental health. She says a lot of older clients come into therapy with physical symptoms of mental health. 

“I’m trying to fill that gap, trying to see how do I approach this with people who feel hopeless and helpless, and it’s not about solving, it’s about getting through whatever situation that they’re going through,” she explains.

After a stressful run, firefighters are always looking for ways to unwind.  

For some, like Fire Engine Operator (FEO) Sean McSpadden, the koi pond at Engine No. 7 is his go-to method.  

“We see a lot of stuff, so it’s always good to come back, sit down, take a breath, just relax, collect yourself, and get ready for the next run,” McSpadden said. “Just the water slapping around, that’s a stress reliever.” 

Sergeant Jeffrey Hess noticed most firefighters in Detroit have the same opportunity during their downtime. 

“I’ve been around every firehouse in the city, and I would say ninety percent of them have some kind of pond, fish tank, something going to where you can sit in that room or outside here, and that’s the background noise, a stream of water,” Hess said.  

Japanese culture’s influence 

While none of the firefighters knew exactly how or why their stations came to have koi ponds, Rie Masuda, professor of Japanese culture and language at Wayne State University, offered an interesting connection.  

In the five elements in Japanese and Chinese philosophy, or gogyo, koi represents water.  

“The water is going to go over the fire, then fire extinguish,” Masuda said, “so that usually the fish figure, which is usually on top of the roof, that is supposed to protect the whole entire (samurai) household, or usually the castle, we call it shachi ho ko.”  

Koi ponds are a luxury in Japan, Masuda said, but they are more common in the U.S. because of how much space is available.  

“The people who are working so hard for the people of Detroit, they need to have some relaxing moment,” Masuda said. “I think that’s one of the reasons that somebody started to have koi.” 

In 1960, Detroit became a sister city to Toyota, Japan. Symbols of friendship have been shared between the two cities including hundreds of cherry trees and 12 Japanese snow monkeys. But there’s no record of gifting koi.

Another possible explanation for the origin of koi ponds could be a lighthearted rivalry between stations, according to Battalion Chief Troy Klann.  

“It was way before me, but all the houses around us had ponds, so it was kind of a competition thing, too,” Klann said. “You know, who could get the biggest fish?”  

Klann said it takes work to build and maintain the ponds, but they provide great therapy on and off the job. 

“Some guys do the koi ponds at home, too,” Klann said. “I thought about it a few times. I just never dug the hole.”  

Therapy dogs 

Along with the koi ponds, firefighters have access to other ways to relieve stress. One of those ways comes in the form of two golden retrievers, Oakland and Luca with First Responder Therapy Dogs who visit different stations to entertain the firefighters. 

Senior Chief Darnell McLaurin said the dogs are a result of Detroit Fire Department leadership taking mental health seriously. 

“We have our personal guidance unit, as well as the peer support team, and they have access to the first responder therapy dogs, amongst other things,” McLaurin said.  

Therapy dog handler Kathy Deland said the work she does is rewarding for both her and the dogs.  

“When they see the dog, they instantly go (gasp), and then they exhale, and that exhale is everything,” Deland said.  

Leaning on each other  

Firefighters also often rely on each other. FEO Andrew Simmons learned how to meditate on the job and said he hopes to help his coworkers do the same. 

“Yoga really helps with the maneuvering and moving around in such big, bulky gear a lot,” Simmons said. “I’m really looking forward to more firefighters actually getting into yoga.” 

Even if the origins of the koi ponds are still uncertain, Hess said they tie into two important things for firefighters: distraction and purpose during the downtime of a stressful and dangerous job.  

“You never know when it’s going to be the worst day of your life,” Hess said, “so in the meantime, let’s just have as much fun as we can.”  

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Have you ever sat in your car in a grocery store parking lot, looked at the receipt, and felt something in your chest tighten?

You’re not alone. Roughly half of Americans say they struggle to afford their rent or mortgage. Food prices rose more than 3% over the past year and are forecast to keep climbing. Total household debt just hit a record $18.8 trillion.

The cost of daily life and the weight of debt are taking a toll on our mental health, especially in a moment when the term“affordability crisis” has entered the national lexicon.

Lindsay Bryan-Podvin is a financial therapist based in Ann Arbor, the founder of Mind Money Balance, and the author of “The Financial Anxiety Solution.” She joined host Robyn Vincent on The Metro to talk about how the financial pressures of this moment are affecting our mental health, and what we can do to feel better.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

The Bengali Mental Health Movement launched online as an anonymous online platform in 2018 to address mental health in Bengali and Bangladeshi communities.

Michigan is home to a significantly large population of Bangladeshis.

Tazin Banu and Riya Ahmed work with the New York based nonprofit to expand mental health conversations in communities that struggle with stigma and cultural sensitivities.

Banu is the founder, and Ahmed is the co-founder of BMHM.

“When we started off, we were, you know, just a group of volunteers doing grassroots work, and then we realized we needed more sustainable infrastructure.”

The group created transliterated and translated documents during the pandemic. 

“We want to take these mental health concepts and information and make it again accessible to our community,” Banu says.

One of their programs is Alaap, a therapeutic peer-led group, to create safe spaces to have discussions about mental health. 

“We wanted to give individuals a safe space where they felt comfortable to at least communicate some parts of their journey,” Ahmed says.

Alaap means conversations, referring to the need for more conversations around mental health.

The nonprofit has a wide reach, including a directory which has providers from all across the world. 

“It was great to see that there are communities and professionals all over the place that, like, again, just like wanted to be a part of part of BMHM in some way,” Banu shares.

Ahmed says it’s a validating experience to be a part of this large network.

“When you do work like mental health, and in a community that might not be so encouraging to have these conversations or be on in the supporting field, it’s very validating when you see the encouragement from all over. Right, it’s really nice to see how far the reach is, and how much it might be helping individuals that might have not seen this in their own community,” Ahmed says.

The group hopes to expand services, resources and put out a community needs assessment. 

They also hope to launch a self-care initiative called Joton: Aided and Embodied Self-Care Workshops soon. It’s a monthly free workshop to remove barriers to self care.

Ahmed says they also hope to expand language services to include younger and older generations.

“Language would help, when it comes to older generation, so that is the expansion. That would be wonderful to have that in Bangla,” she says.

Five years ago drug overdoses were killing more than 3,000 people a year in Michigan. It was the worst the state had seen. Behind that number were parents, sons and daughters — people who’d been trying to get well for years.

That number is coming down. By the state’s early count, last year had the fewest overdose deaths in more than a decade.

But the people who do this work are cautious about it. Fewer deaths may not mean fewer people in danger. 

Addiction touches lives in different ways. For many of us, it might be indirectly. One analysis put the cost to Michigan last year at $38 billion: lost work, lost wages, courts, treatment. 

Now there’s money to fight this—millions from the settlement with the maker of OxyContin, Purdue Pharma. Detroit gets a share, and it’s deciding how to spend it now.

Ali Abazeed leads Detroit’s health department, and founded Dearborn’s before that. He spoke to The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent about what the city is doing to reduce overdose deaths and help residents be healthier.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

Sherry Miller is a mental health clinician with the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network. She has a dual role in Highland Park as part of the co-response team and the mobile clinic.

“We go out into the community, to schools, to churches, events, wherever we are invited to bring mental health awareness to kind of decrease the stigma. We can do brief therapy right there on the spot, assess individuals’ mood… and get them connected with services,” she says.

In her role with co-response, she works with the police department as a mental health counselor who aids in mental health emergencies.

“So if there’s a mental health call… they’ll dispatch me through the radio. Either I’ll meet them there, [or] I’ll follow them there and kind of assess the situation and what’s going on with that individual,” she explains.

She says Highland Park residents were instrumental in getting a partnership going between DWIHN and crisis intervention. 

Miller says since her start in late December, there have been about 70 mental health phone calls. In her role, Miller assesses the situation and tries to de-escalate. 

She says there are several police officers within the Highland Park Police Department who are also trained to respond to mental health calls. 

“It may go a different route, versus somebody being talked to by somebody that’s trained to de-escalate, to calm them down… I think that makes a difference,” she shares.

Miller says she attends city meetings to connect with community members to understand their needs, bring them resources and show them how to sign up for services.

Autism Awareness comes to Highland Park

Last month, Sherry Miller organized the city’s first Autism Awareness & Acceptance event.

Miller says she speaks with parents who are concerned about getting help for their kids. They struggle with things like behavioral issues, receiving special education services at school and understanding autism.

Miller says more needs to be done to support parents. Having more advocacy events could help parents get access to testing and find new ways to improve the lives of their children, she says.

The event featured an advocacy walk, resource vendors, and presentations. There were also giveaways, music and workshops. Miller noted the importance of the event for connecting with parents and “talking to the educators that kind of know what to do, what to look for.”

Miller has also created a resource book for residents.

When someone finally walks out of an abusive home, we tend to think of it as the end of the story. The door closes, the survivor is safe, the danger is behind them. The truth, though, is thornier. 

Advocates say leaving is when the violence often spikes, when the threats escalate, and when survivors are left to rebuild a sense of self after years of being told they had none.

It’s Mental Health Awareness Month, and on The Metro, we spend time on the parts of a story that are often left out, like what happens after the crisis.

JoJo Dries knows a lot about the aftermath. She runs On the Wings of Angels, which meets survivors at the moment when they’re ready to leave, with shelter, security, therapy, and a community willing to catch them.

Ahead of an event this month on the mental health impacts of domestic violence, Dries stopped by The Metro. She spoke with Ahlem Mahdhi, a fellow at WDET through the U.S. State Department’s Professional Fellows Program.

Editor’s Note: This conversation includes descriptions of abuse. If you need help, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-799-7233, or you can text START to 88788.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

May is Mental Health Month and a special symposium on the subject will be held at Wayne State University on Friday.  The event is called Breaking the Stigma and the underlying idea is to make people less reluctant to talk about mental health issues. 

Shantalea Johns is an assistant professor and director of continuing education at Wayne State’s School of Social Work. She says she hopes the symposium will provide Detroiters with a safe space to discuss mental health issues.  Jones would like attendees to take some action after the event ends and ask their loved ones how they’re doing.

The Breaking the Stigma symposium takes place at Wayne State University’s MacGregor Conference Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For a long time the main focus of health was physical. It’s generally accepted that everyone should visit a doctor at least once a year. The same can’t be said about our mental health. But in many ways that’s beginning to change.

Mental Health Awareness Month is an opportunity to pay more attention. The increased awareness on mental health has shifted the way we think and talk about it—and it is literally altering the way an entire generation communicates with one another.

Terms you would typically only hear in therapy like “trauma,” “gaslighting” and “narcissist” are being used to refer to everyday experiences. Does the adoption of therapy terms in popular language help remove stigma around mental illness? Or does it dilute the terms’ original meaning?

Kristen Abraham, a professor and the chair of the psychology department at the University of Detroit Mercy, joined the show to explain how the mainstream use of therapy terms is changing our understanding of mental health.

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A common assumption shapes American crime policy: that the people most exposed to crime — victims, and the officers who respond to it — want the harshest punishment in return. 

The evidence says otherwise. 

Crime victims, in survey after survey, favor rehabilitation over punishment, roughly two to one. And now officers are saying something similar. In a new survey from the Alliance for Safety and Justice, 8 in 10 officers said things like community violence intervention would make their jobs safer. 

Officers want neighborhood programs. They want clinicians on certain 911 calls. They want job training, therapy, and addiction treatment instead of long prison sentences. Why is that the view from inside law enforcement? And if it is, why haven’t we built the systems to match?

Harvey Santana is the Michigan director for the Alliance for Safety and Justice. He’s based in Detroit. He spoke about all this with The Metro’s Robyn Vincent.

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The Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) is offering scholarships to high school seniors. The third annual DWIHN Mental Health Youth Ambassador Scholarship is for students in Wayne County who show resilience and a commitment toward their future higher education goals.

Five scholarships will be awarded to support students who have overcome personal or family challenges. Students must live in Wayne County, graduate in 2026 and have a GPA of 2.5 or higher. Students must also demonstrate resilience or perseverance and plan to pursue higher education in college, trade school or through continuing education credits. The money can be used toward tuition, books or transportation.  

Students have until May 29 to apply. For more information visit www.dwihn.org or email WCYouthUnited@dwihn.org. 

Additional headlines for Monday, May 11, 2026

Hamtramck Community and Economic Development summer internship

The City of Hamtramck is looking for summer interns to assist the Summer Youth Employment program. The paid internships are for youth 14-24 years old to take part in the city’s Community and Economic Development team.

Students will get hands on experience in public service, event planning and community engagement. They will also learn more about local government and small businesses. Internships begin in June and end by September. Applications are due by May 29.

To apply visit hamtramckcity.gov/employment-opportunities. Contact ced@hamtramckcity.gov for more information.  

May is Foster Care Month

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recently hosted a roundtable for Foster Care Month. The event’s goal was to raise awareness around support services available for foster care families. The state has over 10,000 kids in foster care.

MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel says “Every child deserves to feel safe and supported.” The health department works with local agencies, courts and community partners to provide safe environments for kids. However there is also an emphasis on uniting families whenever possible.

Programs like the Michigan Youth Opportunities Initiative, Transitional Placement Program, Community Reintegration Homes and the Foster Care Navigator Program hope to help children and families.

The health department says they are also looking for more foster care parents. To learn more, visit michigan.gov/hopeforahome.  

Michigan film trivia night

The Outlier Collective is hosting a trivia night next week. Outlier Media is teaming up with the Senate Theater to bring people a special Michigan film-themed trivia night. Outlier Media’s Briana Rice and BridgeDetroit’s Bryce Huffman will be hosting. They will ask questions about Michigan’s film history.

The event takes place May 19 from 6:30-9 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person. Trivia night will be hosted at the Senate Theatre in Detroit. Visit outliermedia.org/our-events/ to get tickets.  

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Some public health researchers are turning to a new kind of prescription to address the problem. It’s called “social prescribing.” According to former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Americans are in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, and it’s a problem that only seems to be getting worse.

Around 40% of Americans ages 45 and up report being lonely, which puts them at higher risk for all kinds of serious health concerns like dementia and stroke. 

Some public health researchers are turning to a new kind of prescription to address the problem. It’s called “social prescribing.”

Dr. Mary Henningfield is the executive director of the Wisconsin Research and Education Network at the University of Wisconsin. She joined the show to discuss why is loneliness so common, why it is difficult for people to overcome, and how “social prescribing” can help the healthcare can system address loneliness, instead of only its negative consequences.

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A survey finds Michigan voters concerned about an issue that might surprise some political candidates: the use of vaccines.

The data comes from the group Communities United for Smart Policy (CUSP).

CUSP spokesperson retired physician and former Texas Republican Congressman Michael Burgess says Michiganders will have vaccines in mind when they cast a ballot.

The following interview was edited for length and clarity.

Michael Burgess: There is a significant percentage of Republican voters, 35%, who might be less likely to support a candidate if they perceive them as not going to make vaccines available. That is a real concern for people.

It’s the same problem for Republican, Democrat and independent candidates. If their constituents perceive them as someone who’s going to put obstacles in their way to receiving vaccines for them or their children, it’s going to have a very negative effect on the perception of that candidate.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: There’s been a lot of vaccine hesitancy among some people, especially since COVID and when the pandemic erupted. How are you finding voters responding now as to whether or not they trust vaccines? Especially in light of the changes with the U.S. Health and Human Services department, where some vaccines have been pretty well slammed by the current secretary.

MB: COVID messed a lot of things up, I think it’s safe to say that. And when I discuss vaccines, I’m generally careful to separate the two issues. But there was a lot of loss of confidence in our public health system during COVID. And part of the job, as I see it, for people going forward is to regain that confidence.

You don’t do that by calling everything into question and saying nothing that you believed before is actually accurate.

This country has a pretty long history of successfully dealing with what are broadly termed as “vaccine preventable diseases.” And most of the public recognizes that and does not want to go back to a time when those vaccine preventable diseases are prevalent, because they don’t have to be. The vaccines are there, they’re safe and they’re effective. And they will protect against measles, mumps, rubella, meningitis, hepatitis B. There are a number of illnesses that just don’t generally cross the threshold of recognition for people because they haven’t had to worry about them for so long.

QK: As you look towards the midterm elections, there are a lot of people worried about affordability problems, rising prices, the war underway now with Iran, all sorts of other issues. Do you think whether or not someone believes a candidate will either push or put up obstacles to vaccine use is going to really make a difference in how they will vote?

MB: Yes, it will. Maybe not in every voter’s mind in every race, but it will make a difference. Everything’s all about the midterms right now. And there’s a reason for that, because depending upon how the midterms turn out, the direction of the country going forward could look vastly different. And it can hinge on a very few number of votes in selected states. So that’s why there’s so much emphasis on this.

QK: Again, I will hear some people say they just don’t trust what a particular government agency will put out, one way the other, in regards to vaccines and whether they’re usable or not. Do you see a way to rebuild trust in vaccines? Or is it good to have more of a skeptical look at them?

MB: Well, the lack of faith in institutions was going on even before the COVID years. That’s real, it’s significant, and guess what? These illnesses have not gone away. And that’s why you saw the numbers that you did in the polling that say “hey, I might not support someone who would prevent me from accessing what has been broadly perceived as protective for myself and my family.”

Editor’s Note: A typo in the top excerpt listed CUSP as “Communities United for Smart Politics”. It has been corrected to Communities United for Smart Policy” as of 5/8/2026. We apologize for the error. 

When you call 911 in Detroit, who’s paying for the ambulance? It’s a question that’s tripped up the Detroit City Council twice in two years… and the answer goes to a vote this afternoon.

Detroit pays three private ambulance companies between $500,000 and $600,000 each per year. That’s to keep a guaranteed number of rigs staged in the city.

Those same companies can also bill you — or your insurance — when they pick you up. Councilmember Angela Whitfield Calloway has called that “double dipping.” But The Detroit Documenters pulled the original 2023 contract documents and confirmed: that is how the deal is written.

So what is Detroit paying for? And what does it say about American healthcare that a city has to cut million-dollar checks just to guarantee an ambulance shows up?

Noah Kincade, coordinator for Detroit Documenters, joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to walk through what’s in the contracts and what’s at stake in a city council vote on the matter.

Editor’s Note: After this segment aired, the Detroit City Council voted 4-3 to send the ambulance contracts back to committee rather than vote on them directly. Council President James Tate was absent, and President Pro Tem Coleman Young II presided. Young, Scott Benson, Latisha Johnson and Denzel McCampbell voted to send the contracts back. Mary Waters, Angela Whitfield-Calloway and Renata Miller voted no. The Public Health and Service Committee will take the contracts up May 4 at 10 a.m.

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For the first time in decades, more people are seeking talk therapy over medication. 

The good news is there’s less stigma preventing people from accessing care. The bad news: A lot of people struggle to access therapy. Some clinicians argue that one of the big issues is private equity. 

Private equity investments in health care have grown to over $750 billion over the past decade.

Linda Michaels says that’s had devastating consequences for both clients and clinicians. People are less likely to get the therapy they need. And therapists are in a worse position to offer it. 

That’s the premise of Michaels’ talk this Sunday at a local fundraiser for a metro Detroit clinic. She is a psychologist in private practice in Chicago and a co-founder of the Psychotherapy Action Network. She spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent.

The Metro reached out to two big health insurance providers, United Behavioral Health and Cigna. We wanted their perspective on how their administrative systems have complicated work for therapists, and made getting therapy harder. We did the same for several private equity groups. None of them offered a comment.

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