State Rep. Dave Pagel, of Berrien Springs, has been named to a 14-member state House of Representatives task force that will meet in multiple locations statewide to explore and enhance how certain programs help Michigan residents facing mental health challenges.

The bipartisan panel is call the House C.A.R.E.S. task force, named for the key elements the panel hopes to address in support of vulnerable citizens: Community, Access, Resources, Education and Safety.

“There are many facilities and programs across the state that have successfully helped veterans with PTSD, treated substance abuse problems or assisted those with significant mental conditions in a prison environment,” Pagel said. “If we’re going to improve mental health services in our state, we need to see how it’s done with our own eyes and talk to the people it has helped.”

The task force will hold public meetings during July and August to receive input from individuals and professionals around the state, as well as tour facilities to gain a better understanding of programs. The information gathered will help develop reforms to improve services across the state, including enhanced training for police officers and first responders and mental health courts.

Dates and locations of task force meetings will be announced soon.

“That aspect is very important to address because, after working on state corrections budgets for the last few years, I’ve seen how crucial successful mental health programs are,” said Pagel, chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Corrections. “We have to explore what the best options are to help our corrections department, state and citizens.”

State Reps. Hank Vaupel, of Fowlerville, and Klint Kesto, of Commerce Township, will co-chair the task force, with other members including Reps. Edward Canfield D.O. (R-Sebewaing), Fred Durhal III (D-Detroit), Vanessa Guerra (D-Bridgeport), Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn), Robert Kosowski  (D-Westland), David LaGrand (D-Grand Rapids), Daire Rendon (R-Lake City), Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit), Jason Wentworth (R-Clare), Mary Whiteford (R-Casco Township) and Robert Wittenberg (D-Oak Park).