News Releases

CADILLAC, Mich., June 26, 2025 – Corewell Health™ received a $27,000 grant from the Cadillac Area Community Foundation to expand the School Blue Envelope Program in schools throughout Wexford and Missaukee counties. The School Blue Envelope Program is an initiative to equip school staff with a strategy to intervene when a student expresses thoughts of self-harm or suicide. 

“The School Blue Envelope Program has been implemented in schools and colleges across Michigan with great success,” said Jody Sprague, manager, behavioral health services, Corewell Health. “We are incredibly grateful to the Cadillac Area Community Foundation for their generous grant, as we are able to implement the program in Cadillac area schools, with the goal of partnering with every school district within Wexford and Missaukee counties.”  

According to the area’s most recent Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), the need for mental health services in the Wexford and Missaukee counties is critical. 40.1% of people who participated in the CHNA survey reported that mental health services and resources were a major missing service that would help their community if available. These findings were also supported by the 2025 Mental Health Index, which ranked both Wexford and Missaukee counties 4 out of 5 (with 1 being low need and 5 being high need) for mental health concerns. 

The program has been successfully implemented in several schools in Wexford County, including Cadillac High School, Cadillac Innovation High School, Mackinaw Trail Middle School and Forest View, Franklin and Lincoln Elementary Schools. In fall 2025, Corewell Health will expand the program to other high schools, middle schools and elementary schools in the area.  

“Cadillac Area Community Foundation’s support empowers us to bring this resource directly to the young people of Cadillac, taking an important step toward meeting the need for mental health support our community strongly voiced in the CHNA,” Sprague said.  

For nearly a decade, Corewell Health’s Blue Envelope program has been equipping school employees throughout Michigan – from administrators, teachers, coaches and bus drivers - with the tools to respond when a child expresses thoughts of suicide. This crisis response is an important first step toward protecting students who are in distress and helps them access the behavioral health resources they need.  

For information about the School Blue Envelope Program or to inquire about bringing it to your school district, visit this website or contact schoolblueenvelope@corewellhealth.org.  

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About Corewell Health™  

People are at the heart of everything we do, and the inspiration for our legacy of outstanding outcomes, innovation, strong community partnerships, philanthropy, and transparency. Corewell Health is a not-for-profit health system that provides health care and coverage with an exceptional team of 65,000+ dedicated people—including more than 12,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and more than 15,500 nurses providing care and services in 21 hospitals, 300+ outpatient locations and several post-acute facilities—and Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan serving more than 1.3 million members. Through experience and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit corewellhealth.org.  

About the Cadillac Area Community Foundation 

Cadillac Area Community Foundation is a grantmaking public charity that is dedicated to improving the lives of residents of the Cadillac Area.  We are supported by charity-minded donors for the lasting benefit of our community.  For nonprofits, we award grants in six general areas: culture and the arts, economic development, education, environment and recreation, health, and human services.  For the community, we play a key role in identifying and solving community problems.  For students, we hold many scholarships to continue their education.

Media contact:

Alexis Bolo Neal

alexis.boloneal@corewellhealth.org