Our mission is to provide the best community-based behavioral health services.  We promote recovery, independence, and community integration while maximizing the individual’s quality of life and self sufficiency. 

New Passages success is directly linked to the dedicated and competent leadership that exists throughout the organization.  New Passages founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Dennis R. Jacobs, a Clinical Psychologist, had the vision in the mid 1980’s to create an organization that responded to the needs of persons being discharged from state-operated psychiatric hospital facilities. 

Dr. Jacobs’ has served as a special education teacher and as a School Administrator. Prior to founding New Passages, Dr. Jacobs was a doctoral student at Columbia University.  While in New York City, Dennis Jacobs was recognized for his expertise in the rehabilitation of people with long-term psychiatric disabilities.  Dr. Jacobs has served eight years on the National IAPSRS Board; he helped found the Michigan Chapter of the International Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, once serving as its president. Additionally, Dr. Jacobs served as the Chairperson of The Provider Alliance, which is an affiliate of the Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Boards.  Dr. Jacobs has been the recipient of awards from the Mental Health Association of Michigan, The Alliance for the Mentally Ill, International Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services and has received tributes from both the Michigan State Senate and House of Representatives.  Dr. Jacobs holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and is a Certified Psychosocial Rehabilitation Practitioner.  

Dr. Jacobs has devoted his life to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.  Dr. Jacobs never tires of telling the story of when as an eight-year-old on his grandparent’s farm he would sit at Sunday dinner with his grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and eight unrelated adults who he thought of as family.  There was George, whose hands trembled so much from the side effects of Thorazine that by the time he got his spoon full of peas to his mouth the peas were all over the table.  Then there was Ralph who thought he was from another planet and was “just visiting.”  This was a time when adults with serious psychiatric disabilities were hidden away in the community or institutionalized.  It was at this time that Dr. Jacobs took special note of his grandparent’s genuine compassion but even at an early age recognized the inadequacies in helping people with mental illness.    

Dr. Jacobs began his professional career as a special education teacher.  During this period through his work with very challenging emotionally impaired children, Dr. Jacobs began formulating the concepts and ideas that would drive his passion to help create a better world for children and adults with serious mental illness.  Later in his career as a school administrator he took the lead in advocating for the equal education of adults with serious mental illness living in the community.  Thus began his lifelong mission as an advocate, teacher, and visionary.    

During his graduate years at Columbia University, he served as the director of Henry Street Settlement’s psychiatric day program on Manhattan’s lower east side.  Here he experienced for the first time the extraordinary challenges that people who live with a serious mental illness face on a day-to-day basis.  Dr. Jacobs was able to more than double the daily attendance of the program by introducing educational and vocational activities.  While in New York, he became interested in the Psychosocial Rehabilitation movement.  Upon his return to Michigan, he was determined to spread this concept to the larger mental health community.  He was able to convince the Director of Mental Health that this concept would address the issues that were swirling around the de-institutionalization of state hospitals.  To date, there are more than 60 Psychosocial Clubhouse programs in Michigan.  Dr. Jacobs also served as one of the founding members of the Michigan Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation and was its President for six years.  During this period, the movement grew to become one of the most powerful forces in the field of mental health.  

Furthermore, during this period Dr. Jacobs was asked by the Department of Mental Health to use his expertise to create an innovative program serving adults with serious mental illness as they exited large psychiatric hospitals to live in the community.  New Passages Behavioral Health and Rehabilitation Services was the result of this initiative.  Today, New Passages serves over 7,000 Michigan residents who have serious mental illness.  New Passages is considered one of the premier behavioral health organizations in Michigan and the United States.    

The single most outstanding contribution to improving the quality of life for people with psychiatric disabilities took place while Dr. Jacobs served on the Board of the International Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services.  While serving on the Board, Dr. Jacobs was actively involved on its Public Policy Committee.  This was during a time when there was a national debate taking place regarding the role people with disabilities should play in American society.  At this time, Congress was debating legislation which would guarantee the rights of people with disabilities, which later became the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Due to the fact that Dr. Jacobs was from Michigan, he was asked to work with Congressman Dingell’s office, who at the time served as the Chairperson of the Energy and Commerce Committee.  There was considerable debate on the committee as to the appropriateness of people with psychiatric disabilities having the right to use public transportation.  Dr. Jacobs combated the public perception that people with psychiatric disabilities are more dangerous than the general public.  He was able to educate and convince Congressman Dingell’s office and thus the committee that people with psychiatric disabilities would not be a threat to the general public and should be guaranteed the right to use public transportation.  In the end, language was included in the ADA which guaranteed this right.                   

New Passages has obtained CARF (The Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission) accreditation since 1995. In 2005, the following programs were accredited by CARF:

• Assertive Community Treatment: Mental Health (Adults)
• Assessment and Referral: Mental Health (Adults)
• Assessment and Referral: Mental Health (Children and Adolescents)
• Case Management/Services Coordination: Mental Health (Adults)
• Community Housing: Mental Health (Adults)
• Community Integration: Psychosocial Rehabilitation (Adults)
• Crisis Intervention: Mental Health (Adults)
• Crisis Intervention: Mental Health (Children and Adolescents)
• Crisis Stabilization: Mental Health (Adults)
• Crisis Stabilization: Mental Health (Children and Adolescents)
• Outpatient Treatment: Family Services (Adults)
• Outpatient Treatment: Family Services (Children and Adolescents)
• Outpatient Treatment: Mental Health (Adults)
• Outpatient Treatment: Mental Health (Children and Adolescents)
• Supported Living: Mental Health (Adults)
• Employment Services: Community Employment Services: Job Supports
• Employment Services: Community Employment Services: Job-Site Training 

New Passages also purchased a state-of-the-art Management Information System, and broadened our array of services and developed an Outcome-Based Evaluation System. We believe that these system improvements greatly enhance our ability to provide quality services.

Funders

 New Passages has the privilege of being supported by the following funding entities:  Access Alliance of Michigan; Allegan County Community Mental Health Services; Bay Arenac Behavioral Health Services; Bay City Housing Commission; Clinton-Eaton-Ingham Community Mental Health; Common Ground Sanctuary; Community Network Services, Inc.; Department of Community Health; Department of Human Services; Easter Seals of Southeastern Michigan; Genesee County Community Development; Genesee County Community Mental Health Services; Genesee County Health Department; Lapeer County Community Mental Health; LifeWays; Livingston County Community Mental Health Authority; Macomb County Community Mental Health; Macomb-Oakland Regional Center Inc.; Macomb/St. Clair Workforce Development Board, Inc.; Michigan Department of Community Health; Michigan Rehabilitation Services; Person-Centered Network - Value Options; Saginaw County Community Mental Health Authority; Sanilac County Community Mental Health; Thumb Mental Health Alliance; Training & Treatment Innovations, Inc.; US Dept HUD; Washtenaw Community Health Organization 

These relationships allow New Passages to develop and implement programs for Michigan consumers who need alternative community-based psychiatric treatment opportunities.