Region IV Area Agency on Aging has received two national awards for the services it provides in Southwest Michigan.

Agency Director Christine Vanlandingham tells us the organization was recognized this week at the USAging 50th Annual Conference and Tradeshow in Chicago. First, she says it won the 2025 Aging Innovations Award in the Healthy Aging category, placing first overall in the nation for its in-home behavioral health counseling program. Vanlandingham says through the program, the Area Agency on Aging can provide mental health support to seniors right in their homes.

“It breaks the barriers to accessing mental health services, which can be a real challenge for individuals if they have challenges with transportation or physical mobility,” Vanlandingham said.

Vanlandingham says mental health can often be overlooked when care is being provided to seniors, but “mental health IS health.”

“If you’re struggling with issues of depression and anxiety, it’s really hard to focus on what’s really important to do to take care of your health. So those two things go hand in hand.”

The Area Agency on Aging also was one of 22 organizations to receive the 2025 Aging Achievement Award from USAging in the Healthy Aging category for a policy project that looked at disparate health outcomes among older adults living in Southwest Michigan.

Vanlandingham says these programs wouldn’t be possible without the help of partners that include the Frederick S. Upton Foundation, the United Way, and the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. She thanked them for their support.