LAHC expands access to education and mental health services in Southeast Michigan
Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities, better known as LAHC, officially opened its new Behavioral Health, Education and Workforce Development Hub Thursday, a project leaders say will expand access to job training, education and mental health services for thousands of people across Southeast Michigan.
The new facility brings a wide range of services together under one roof, including workforce development programs, educational opportunities, behavioral health support and family services.
LAHC President and CEO Wassim Mahfouz called the opening a major milestone for both the organization and the community.
"This project today is a milestone in the history, not just of LAHC, but our community," Mahfouz said.
The expansion will allow LAHC to serve an additional 20,000 people each year, according to Mahfouz. The organization served more than 80,000 individuals in 2025 and expects the new facility's added classrooms, intake rooms and treatment spaces to significantly increase its capacity.
For more than 40 years, LAHC has provided workforce development, education, behavioral health and family support services throughout Southeast Michigan. Leaders say the new hub was designed to make those services easier to access by housing them in one location.
"What we do at LAHC is we truly change people's lives," Mahfouz said. "We provide people with the support that they need to be able to survive and sustain their daily lives. But we also teach them how to become independent."
The project was supported by local, state and federal funding, including contributions from Wayne County, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity and federal funding secured through Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud said the city worked to help move the project through the approval process and reduce delays.
"As we are all often aware, the bureaucracy and the red tape can either slow you down, or eliminate it can help speed you up," Hammoud said. "What we've been blessed with at the City of Dearborn is a phenomenal team that ensured this project can get out and done in about nine months' timeline, which is just a phenomenal feat."
Hammoud also highlighted the facility's impact on the city's East End neighborhood and the role workforce development can play in improving lives.
"When you bring in single mothers who walk in through those doors in pursuit of economic opportunities, and you uplift them and get them a job, you're also helping shatter the cycle of poverty," Hammoud said.
The grand opening ceremony drew elected officials, business leaders and community partners from across the region. During the event, Amazon announced it is increasing its support for LAHC to $125,000 for workforce development and digital literacy programming. Comcast also announced a $150,000 contribution to expand digital skills training and technology access.
LAHC leaders say the goal of the new hub is simple: provide residents with the support, resources and opportunities they need to build a better future.