APRIL 12, 2005

Agenda Item No. 22

Introduced by the Human Services Committee of the:

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RESOLUTION HONORING PAMELA STANTS

RESOLUTION #05-098

WHEREAS, since her appointment to the Community Mental Health Board in 1996, Pamela Stants has served as the Chair of its Recipient Rights Committee for four years, setting high standards of thoroughness, compassion, and fairness in her leadership of this Committee’s work; and

WHEREAS, In 2002, Pamela  became the first consumer of Community Mental Health services to be elected as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, she was the first consumer, in Michigan, to serve as the Chair of their local Community Mental Health Board and served in that role throughout 2002, stepping down in March 2003, to assume the Chairperson of the Recipients Rights Committee; and

WHEREAS, In 2003, Pamela received the Partners in Excellence Award, awarded by the Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Boards, in recognition of her tireless efforts to break down the walls of stigma, with and on behalf of those served by the Community Mental Health system; and

WHEREAS, her considerable experience in advocating, at both the local and state level, on a range of mental health issues, made her a highly effective Board Chairperson, Pamela’s courage, commitment, political savvy, willingness to draw on her experience as a consumer, and selflessness were key to her ability to lead the Board of Directors in holding the labor-management-consumer-community stakeholder coalition together in the face of a fourth year of sizeable budget cuts; and

WHEREAS, because of her personal experience with the mental health system, Pamela has been able to provide a unique insight into Board decisions and to serve as a powerful spokesperson for the Community Mental Health Board of Directors and for consumers of Community Mental Health services, she has unselfishly and articulately put the welfare of the greater Lansing community and those served by the Community Mental Health system ahead of her own needs – serving as a model for others on the Community Mental Health Board, within the staff ranks, and throughout the community.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners hereby honors Pamela Stants for her accomplishments as a member of the Community Mental Health Board and for her dedication and commitment towards improving the quality of life for the citizens of Ingham County.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board wishes her continued success in all of her future endeavors.

HUMAN SERVICES:  To be approved 4/11/05