Peace of Mind

Brandy had been working as a Nurse Practitioner at the McKenzie Rural Health Clinic since January 2009. In 2023, she decided to further her education and pursue a career change focused on mental health. She returned to Saginaw Valley State University to embark on this new journey.

In January 2024, GST Michigan Works! received a special incumbent worker grant aimed at helping healthcare workers upskill their training. Brandy learned about this grant through her employer, McKenzie Health System. She contacted GST Michigan Works! and set up an appointment to explore funding options that would help her complete her mental health certification.

 

As Brandy completed her training, she began planning to establish a clinic that specialized in mental health services. The rural community of Sandusky lacked such a specialty clinic in the area. When Brandy received her certificate as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in September 2024, her plans for the clinic began to take shape.

The Peace of Mind Clinic held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 1, 2024. The clinic will be led by Brandy and will provide behavioral health evaluations, diagnoses, and medication management. She stated, “Our goal is to provide mental health services to anyone in need, especially those who are not receiving care or who are traveling for treatment.”