The Veteran and Military Family Navigator Program, created in 2016 by the State of Michigan, assists over 440,000 veterans living in the state, as well as their family members.
SCCMHA collaborated with the Walking with Warriors program to provide comprehensive navigation, peer-to-peer support, and advocacy for veterans, military members, and their families. The focus is to connect veterans and their families to behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment and support, as well as other community resources.
The program can additionally connect veterans to physical healthcare, housing, VA benefits, education assistance, family and caregiver support, employment, transportation, transitioning back into home and civilian life, and state assistance programs.
As of 2025, the program is directed by Ashton Hero, a four-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps.
He is a graduate of Ferris State University and previously worked at the Midland County Juvenile Justice Center but has had much outreach with veterans in his life, working to hear their stories and concerns and helping where he can.
"There's a huge need for veterans in mental health," Hero said. "The biggest thing is listening; some people just need to talk and help with knowing where to go to get the assistance they're looking for."
Hero plans to meet veterans in the community and build relationships with partners in the area, informing them of the services SCCMHA provides, as well as helping to guide them through the system.
“We lose 22 veterans a day to suicide nationally” Hero said. “If they knew the resources that are in in place, we could work to help reduce that number.”
As a veteran himself, Hero believes that having that lived experience is vital for other veterans to reach out to him for assistance.
“It’s easier for veterans to open up about what they’re going through when they talk to other veterans,” Hero said. “Hopefully I’m able to be that person they can connect with to make a difference for them.”
The Walking with Warriors program office is located at the Saginaw County Community Mental Health Authority, 500 Hancock St., Saginaw, MI 48602, and oversees three counties: Saginaw, Bay, and Midland. Dedicated office hours will also be available at Midland County locations each month.
For more information on the Veterans and Military Navigator Program, visit the Saginaw County Community Mental Health Authority website at www.sccmha.org and the Walking with Warriors State of Michigan website at www.michigan.gov/mdhhs.
Ashton can be reached via email ashton.hero@sccmha.org or phone at (989) 272-7375 or (989) 988-9602.