What Is on Your August 4 Ballot
Kent County voters will be asked to renew the 1.0-mill property tax that funds Network180 — the county's Community Mental Health Authority. This is a renewal of the existing rate, not an increase.
Network180 is the primary provider of publicly funded mental health, substance use treatment, and developmental disability services in Kent County. It serves approximately 20,000 county residents per year, operates the county's crisis center, and coordinates involuntary psychiatric holds (PPO petitions).
Without the millage, Network180 would depend solely on Medicaid reimbursements and state general fund allocations — both of which are subject to federal and state budget volatility.
Source: Network180 — Annual Report 2025
What Network180 Does With the Money
The millage funds services that Medicaid does not fully cover:
- Crisis stabilization — 24/7 walk-in crisis center on Cherry Street SE, Grand Rapids; alternatives to ER and jail for people in psychiatric crisis
- Outpatient treatment — counseling, medication management, and case management for adults with serious mental illness or substance use disorder
- Housing support — rental assistance and supported housing for adults with serious mental illness who would otherwise be homeless
- Developmental disabilities — day programs and supported employment for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities in Kent County
- Children's services — community-based treatment for children with serious emotional disorders, an alternative to hospitalization
For Cascade Township families: residents who need crisis services, substance use treatment, or services for a family member with a developmental disability access Network180 through Kent County, regardless of insurance status.
Source: Network180 Annual Report
What It Costs the Average Homeowner
At 1.0 mill ($1 per $1,000 of taxable value), the annual cost on a median Cascade Township home (market value ~$450,000, taxable value ~$225,000) is approximately $225 per year — the same as the road millage, which is a separate vote on the same ballot.
Michigan's Proposal A caps taxable value increases at 5% per year, so your actual tax depends on how long you've owned your home and your individual taxable value. Check your summer tax bill.
The Two Sides
- Network180's crisis center diverts people from hospital ERs and county jail — two far more expensive alternatives paid for by different tax dollars
- Federal Medicaid cuts (2025–2026) will reduce Network180's reimbursement base; the millage provides stability the federal system cannot
- Mental health demand has increased since COVID; Network180 waitlists for outpatient services are already measured in months
- This is a renewal — voters approved this rate in 2022. The question is whether to continue, not whether to start something new
- Critics argue that mental health funding should come from state and federal sources — local millages create inequitable access tied to local property wealth
- Network180 faces questions about waitlist management and service gaps for rural Kent County residents, including Ada Township
- Two 1.0-mill renewals on the same August 4 ballot ($450/yr combined for a median homeowner) creates genuine financial pressure for fixed-income residents
- Accountability: millage funds have been subject to limited public audit scrutiny; a no vote could force restructuring
How to Vote on August 4
- August 4, 2026 — Both the mental health millage renewal and the road millage renewal appear on the Kent County ballot, alongside the Cascade Township primary and statewide races.
- Verify registration at michigan.gov/vote. Registration deadline is typically July 20.
- Request an absentee ballot at michigan.gov/vote — Michigan allows no-reason absentee voting.
- Find your polling location at the Kent County Clerk.
This millage renewal and the road millage are separate ballot questions. You can vote yes on one and no on the other.
How to Weigh In Before August 4
- Attend Kent County Board of Commissioners public comment — the board meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 8:30 AM, 300 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids.
- Contact your Kent County Commissioner — find your district
- Contact Network180 directly with service questions: network180.org/contact