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Public commenters press council on senior home repairs, caregiving supports and local mental‑health services
Summary
Multiple public commenters and service providers urged Detroit officials to expand senior accessibility programs, caregiver supports and culturally responsive mental-health care; councilmembers noted ARPA funding and a long waiting list for senior home modifications.
Speakers used the public-comment period to press the council for expanded senior services, caregiver support and better access to mental‑health care.
Ruby Riley, speaking online, urged council to prioritize seniors who have lived in Detroit for decades and asked whether a city program that funds bathroom accessibility modifications is still active. Councilmember Mary Waters responded that the senior accessibility program, funded with ARPA dollars, has a long waiting list and that additional dollars would be needed to expand capacity.
Betty A. Barna, president of the Southern Ellsworth Black Association, highlighted a caregiver-relief program run by Community Solutions and gave a contact number, noting that Medicaid eligibility is required for certain services.
Tiffany Farley, a licensed professional counselor and founder of Be Well Healing and Wellness Center, told the council that access to quality mental-health care remains out of reach for many city residents because of long wait lists and a lack of culturally responsive providers. She urged partnerships with local organizations to expand prevention and early-intervention services.
William M. Davis, an online commenter and former police commissioner, congratulated the new council leadership and urged consideration of greater representation on pension boards and the formation of a mental‑health task force to reduce the number of police responses to behavioral-health crises.
Councilmembers acknowledged the concerns, said they would follow up with program staff, and noted constraints including existing wait lists and funding limitations; no formal policy or budget vote was taken during this session.
