The behavioral health crisis unit that trinity health grand rapids and network 180 plan to open in late june represents the “way to go” in providing greater capacity for mental health care.
Michigan department of health and human services director elizabeth hertel praises the public-private sector partnership behind the facility as a model to replicate across the state. The setting will readily connect medical and mental health care providers and “makes it a lot easier to manage care when you have the same patients going back and forth,” hertel said.
“once I think people see the partnership with the hospitals, which is so important, and the value that these units are bringing, we’ll start seeing more of those rolling,” hertel said in an interview with crain’s grand rapids business during which she touted the state’s financial support for expanding mental health care capacity.
“it’s a really great model,” she said. “I absolutely think that’s the way to go, the infrastructure and the capital investment, the ability to share staffing, share information, keeping in mind about how medical and health information is shared across data platform
The grand rapids facility is one of two crisis stabilization units that have opened using state funding. The other one is operated by the detroit wayne integrated health network. Eight more such units are planned across the state.
The walk-in behavioral health crisis center in grand rapids, housed in a medical office building on trinity health grand rapids’ main hospital campus on lafayette avenue se, offers a 24-hour setting for people to seek care when in crisis.
Trinity health grand rapids and community mental health agency network 180 developed the unit with $5 million in financial backing from the millions of dollars that state lawmakers and gov. Gretchen whitmer allocated over two years to improve capacity and access to mental health care.
The whitmer administration aims to continue that push with another $250 million the governor proposed for the state’s next budget, including money for workforce development.
“we continue to prioritize behavioral health access in the state,” hertel said. “everyone deserves access to behavioral health care (or) medical care when and where they need it.”
The funding the governor recommended in her 2025 fiscal year budget proposal would go to support loan repayments for nurses in exchange for working in state-operated and non-state-operated facilities; grants to assist professionals with continuing education, exam fees, and supervision costs; and funding to public universities to expand of internships and scholarships for behavioral health courses.
The funding also would support further expansion of certified community behavioral health clinics in the state and align reimbursement rates for behavioral health practitioners with medical care providers.
investing in mental health
Gov. Whitmer and state lawmakers continue to work out a budget for the next fiscal year that starts oct. 1. Budget negotiations typically go into the summer.
A proposal the health and human services subcommittee for the house appropriations committee forwarded this week includes $193.3 million to expand certified community behavioral health clinics to additional counties in the state that could serve 50,000 people.
Another $3.5 million would go to assist with exam and supervision costs for mental health care professionals, and $3 million would support internships and scholarships opportunities.
The subcommittee’s proposal also has $24.1 million in one-time funding for 24 mental health care providers, including $5 million for pine rest christian mental health services in west michigan.
Lawmakers and the governor in two previous budget years directed $279.7 million to expand the number of certified community behavioral health clinics sites, which serve anybody that seeks care for a mental health issue or substance use disorder, regardless of their ability to pay.
Past appropriations also included $10 million for loan assistance to attract and retain professionals, $5 million for college scholarships, $45 million to improve facilities for school-based health services and $28.9 million to continue school-based mental health services on campuses.
Another $38 million went for pine rest’s planned pediatric behavioral health center, while $32 million went to establish crisis stabilization units such as the new trinity health grand rapids and the network 180 facility.
“we’ve been very fortunate that we’re seeing a positive economy and being able to invest in behavioral health,” hertel said.
increasing capacity
Recent community needs assessments illustrate a need for greater mental health care capacity.
In kent county, the community needs assessment noted that nearly one in four adults have been diagnosed with depression, and that just 27% were receiving treatment. The kent county report noted that “more options for non-faith-based mental health services, including emergency services” are needed, including greater diversity among mental health providers and more bilingual providers.
Ottawa county’s new community needs assessment cited how one in six adult residents have depression, while 16.5% reported poor mental health.
Stakeholders involved in preparing the ottawa county needs assessment reported that an increase in mental health issues “was happening pre-covid-19 pandemic, but the stress and uncertainty of that time exacerbated mental health issues.”
Among ottawa county adults surveyed or interviewed in 2023, 15.5% reported that “they had trouble receiving needed mental health treatment in the past year,” according to the report. The greatest barrier for them was cost.
