“Mental Health: A Michigan Perspective” will be the topic of discussion at this year’s Western Michigan University Cooley Law Review’s Annual Symposium at WMU-Cooley Law School’s Lansing campus. The May 19 event will feature a diverse panel of community leaders from a variety of backgrounds including law, healthcare, non-profit, state government and corrections. The group will discuss issues facing mental health today. The event will be held 1-4 p.m., in Room 911 of the Cooley Center, 300 S. Capitol Avenue, Lansing, Michigan.
Panelists include:
- Gov. Brian Calley: Michigan lieutenant governor
- Beverly Griffor: managing partner, Collis & Griffor, P.C.
- Milton L. Mack, Jr.: court administrator, Michigan Supreme Court
- Professor Lauren Rousseau: professor, WMU-Cooley Law School
- Major Sam Davis: corrections major, Ingham County Sheriff’s Office
- Mark Reinstein: president & CEO, Mental Health Association of Michigan
First elected as lieutenant governor in 2010, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley is an advocate for inclusion in Michigan, working to ensure all individuals can live independent and self-determined lives. Calley chaired the Michigan Mental Health and Wellness Commission, the Prescription Drug and Opioid Task Force and the Special Education Reform Task Force. He also leads the Mental Health Diversion Council. He is committed to developing and implementing strategies to improve outcomes for all students in Michigan, as well as people with mental illnesses, developmental disabilities and addiction issues.
At Collis and Griffor, P.C., Beverly Griffor handles matters from business law, intellectual property, probate and family law. Upon graduation from the University of Michigan, Griffor was involved in research projects, which focused on self-esteem and achievement, as well as juvenile criminal offenders and recidivism. She received her Juris Doctor from Ave Maria School of Law and is pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology at Fielding Graduate University. Griffor is currently doing research in the areas of personality disorders, child testimony, jury perception and forensic evaluations.
Nationally recognized as a leader on issues related to mental health, Milton L. Mack, Jr. frequently presents to judges and the legal community on topics ranging from end-of life decisions to the use of technology to improve court efficiency. Mack was a leader in advocating reform to make the Michigan’s judiciary more efficient and accountable while serving as a Wayne County Probate Court Judge. Prior to joining the bench in 1990, Mack was a private practice attorney and served as a Wayne County commissioner (1983–1990) and city of Wayne councilman (1979–82). Mack became the state court administrator in 2015.
Professor Lauren Rousseau has been a faculty member with WMU-Cooley Law School since 2004. Rousseau is chair of the school’s Civil Procedure and Evidence & Practice Skills Department and has served as an assistant dean with the law school. Rousseau is a strong advocate and frequent speaker on the very personal and painful topic of addiction. She serves on the board of directors for several nonprofit organizations, which include the Home of New Vision, an addiction treatment nonprofit corporation in Washtenaw County; the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities (ACHC), which oversees 16 coalitions in Oakland County focused on substance abuse and prevention and the Oakland County chapters of Families Against Narcotics; and Access to Bankruptcy Court, a nonprofit corporation providing pro bono bankruptcy services to indigent clients.
Prior to working as a correction major with the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office, Sam Davis was a teacher, coach and administrator with Lansing Public Schools from 1974 to 2007. The Michigan State University graduate has been the president of the Lansing Wrestling Officials Association since 1992 and is a lead teaching official at Michigan High School Athletic Association clinics.
Mark Reinstein serves as the president and CEO of the Mental Health Association in Michigan (MHAM). MHAM is the state’s oldest advocacy organization for individuals experiencing mental illness. In the past, Reinsten served on the steering committee of Michigan Partners for Parity, a statewide coalition with more than 60 members that seeks the enactment of mental health parity law in Michigan.
info.cooley.edu/blog 