The Michigan Senate will begin hearings soon on a proposed overhaul of publicly-funded mental health services.
There are lots of different ideas on how to fix the system, but there is one area of wide agreement: the current approach is not working.
A mental health system overhaul is a key area of interest for Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake) who says the quality of care right now depends largely on where a patient lives.
The system is managed by county mental health boards. Shirkey says he wants to see more private sector options and more of an integration of services.
“Quite frankly, a lot of the physical health problems and costs are driven by inadequate care on the mental health side,” he said Monday in a telephone interview.
Shirkey said any cost savings should be re-invested in the mental health system.
“They’ve been inundated with demands, and we have a dearth of a certain level of providers in Michigan, and this will also help us, I believe, help us recruit people because they’ll see the change in the system and there won’t be such a patchwork of services across the state.”
Shirkey says the COVID-19 crisis has helped highlight problems in how mental health services are delivered in Michigan. Critics say the Senate GOP approach would place too much decision-making with insurance companies.
But anything the Republican-led Senate comes up with will require bipartisan support because it will have to be signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.