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Weekly Update December 13, 2024

Association and Member Activities

Conference & Hotel Registration is Open for the CMHA 2025 Annual Winter Conference

CMHA’s Annual Winter Conference, Celebrate Abilities…Inspire Possibilities, will take place on February 3-5, 2025, at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The conference will feature leadership, advocacy, CCBHC, crisis response, workforce development, behavioral and SUD health homes, CIT, suicide prevention, hospital readmission reduction strategies, oral health, lean management, artificial intelligence, lived experience, HIPAA, confidentiality, independent facilitators, organizational change, Boardworks, updates on Lansing and more! View the conference brochure and register here.

Radisson Plaza Hotel & Suites
100 W. Michigan Ave.,
Kalamazoo, MI 49007

Book Your Hotel Reservation Online

2025 Room Rates: $169 plus taxes (Single/Double/Triple/Quad)
Parking: Discounted rate for self-parking, $12 per night/car for all attendees

To Make Your Reservations at the Radisson Plaza Hotel:

Phone Reservations: (269) 343-3333 and connect with either the reservations team or the front desk.

Reservations team is available M-F 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST; the front desk team will manage requests outside of those times.

For discounted rates, guests need to mention “CMHA Winter Conference.”

Deadline for Reduced Rate:

Booking online: Deadline of 11:59 p.m. EST the day BEFORE 1/13/25 or until the room block fills.

Phone reservations: Deadline of 5:00 p.m. EST on the day OF 1/13/25 or until the room block fills.

Cancellation Policies:

If you find it necessary to cancel or change plans, please inform the hotel 24 hours prior to check-in time to avoid one night’s room and tax charged to your credit card. If the reservation was booked as an advance purchase, non-cancel, or non-refundable, then full penalty applies.

Reservations can be modified or canceled by calling in-house reservations team at (269) 343-3333.

If a reservation is canceled after this time, it will be subject to a late-cancellation fee (one night’s guestroom rate + taxes). If there is a credit card on file, this fee will be routed to the credit card.

If a guest does not arrive for their reservation, it will be subject to a no-show fee (one night’s guestroom rate + taxes). If there is a credit card on file, this fee will be routed to the credit card.

If a guest does not arrive for their reservation and check-in for the first night, their reservation will be CANCELED. The hotel can reinstate the reservation as able and requested (based on hotel availability).

Connections

Connections purpose is to be an avenue for the exchange of information that includes people’s dreams, stories, concerns and successes. Its intent is to connect us all – the individuals who sit around the board room table, our customers, our administrators, caregivers, and our partners in the communities in which we live.

Recipient Rights Booklets

The Mental Health Code states that Community Mental Health Service Providers are required to distribute Recipient Rights Booklets to each recipient receiving services. To place an order with CMHA please visit our websites bookstore page.

‘BoardWorks’ Videos Online

The CMHA BoardWorks program was developed to assist Board members in fulfilling their obligations as CMH leaders, directors of policy, and advocates for those they serve.

Get in Touch!

Meet the Team

CMHA Board of Directors

Contact your Legislators

State & Federal Developments

Unemployment Change Bills Head to the Governor; Senate Committee Passes Paid Family Leave Bills

A package of bills that make sweeping changes to Michigan’s unemployment benefits passed the House this week and now heads to the Governor’s desk. The bill package – which includes SB 40, SB 962, SB 975, SB 976 and SB 981 – increases the number of weeks unemployed people can receive state benefits from 20 weeks to 26 weeks and increases the maximum weekly benefit and increases the maximum weekly amount an individual can collect in unemployment benefits from $362 to $614, which will be phased in over a 3 year period. The bills also make changes to Unemployment Insurance Agency processes for applications and exemptions.

The bills mark the first change in benefits in more than 20 years and reverse legislation signed under the Gov. Rick SNYDER administration that trimmed the number of weeks someone could collect benefits.

The main bill in the package, SB 40, passed with some Republican support, 58-51.

Although Rep. Greg Markkanen (R-Hancock) and Rep. David Prestin (R-Cedar River) voted with the majority, Republicans generally opposed the legislation.

“It’s a bridge, a short bridge, to get them from job A to job B,” Rep. William Bruck (R-Erie) said. “It’s not meant to be a living wage and increasing it– almost doubling it is what we’re looking at– it’s going to cost me as an employer. It’s going to cost every employer in the state.”

Democrats said that the legislation was essential to keep families afloat in the face of inflation.

“Unemployment benefits are not a permanent solution, but they are a lifeline for people who find themselves without a job,” Rep. Jim Haadsma (D-Battle Creek) said. “Families struggling to get back on their feed need breathing room. That’s what this package provides.”

Earlier this week a Senate Committee approved bills to create a paid family leave system in Michigan. Introduced in May 2023, SB 332 and SB 333 had seen no signs of life until now.

The Senate Housing and Human Services Committee approved a substitute to SB 332 that reduces the maximum number of paid family leave from 15 weeks to 12.

The other major change affects employers with fewer than 25 employees. New language was added saying such employers “shall remit 50 percent of the contribution required under this section to the Family Leave Optimal Coverage Fund.” Employers with 25 or more employees would still, as the original bill provided, have to remit 100 percent of the contribution required to the Family Leave Optimal Coverage Fund.

The vote was 8-3 along party lines and came despite objections over the effect on small businesses and to worker’s paychecks. Exactly how much workers would have to contribute is unclear. It would be up to the director of the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, or their designee, to determine the amount necessary to fund the program.

As of this Thursday evening, the full Senate has not voted on SBs 332 & 333. If they do not pass the Senate this week, it is very unlikely they will get done this legislative session.

School Safety Legislation Springboarded By Tragedy At Oxford High School Clears House

School safety legislation that was more than two years in the making passed the House this week with broad bipartisan support. The chamber voted on the five bills that were the result of work begun last term by the School Safety Commission following the school shooting at Oxford High School in 2021, which killed four students.

HB 4095 standardizes response plan terminology and requires schools to adopt and implement them. HB 4096 requires the Department of State Police to establish a standardized response terminology plan. HB 5549 requires schools to create a behavioral threat assessment and management team. The final two bills, HB 5659 and HB 5660, repeal the School Safety Commission and replace it with a new School Safety and Mental Health Commission.

All bills passed with bipartisan support. HB 4095 passed 94-15, HB 4096 passed 93-16, HB 5659 passed 89-19 and HB 5560 passed 89-19.

HB 5549 only received one Republican vote after House Democrats rejected a floor amendment that would have allowed nonpublic schools to opt out of the threat assessment team and would have allowed clergy members to be on the threat assessment team if the school chose to create one.

Support Your CMH PAC – Donate TODAY!

CMH PAC (Political Action Committees) gives money to candidates running for elective office who support and advocate on behalf of Michigan’s publicly funded mental health system. By making a donation to the CMH PAC, you are ensuring that issues important to mental health are not left out of the dialog in Lansing.

Why Support CMH PAC?

In the Michigan Legislature there are:

More new legislators due to term limits.
Fewer legislators with in-depth knowledge about behavioral health issues.
More legislative proposals that directly and indirectly impact Michigan’s publicly funded mental health system.
More aggressive interest groups competing for limited resources.
Very few legislative champions for persons with mental health, developmental/intellectual disabilities and substance use disorders.

CMH PAC helps overcome some of these obstacles by raising awareness for issues that are important to behavioral health care. The CMH PAC supports legislators/candidates who support and advocate on behalf of Michigan’s publicly funded mental health system.

Interested in contributing to CMH PAC?

Donate online or mail check donations to our offices located at 507 S. Grand Ave., Lansing, MI 48933. Please make checks payable to CMH PAC.

NACBHDD – Registration now open for the 2025 Legislative & Policy Conference

CMHA members (making you members of the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors [NACBHDD]) are invited to the “best little meeting in America”, the NACBHDD’s 2025 Legislative & Policy Conference.

This dynamic gathering of behavioral health and I/DD leaders from across the country explores the challenges and opportunities in our field while also highlighting the most recent policy developments. Make sure to stay up to date with the conference agenda and registration information through the Legislative & Policy website.

March 4th – 6th, 2025 | Washington, D.C. | REGISTER HERE
We are looking forward to seeing you!

SAMHSA seeking grant application reviewers

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) mission is to lead public health and service delivery efforts that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and provide treatments and supports to foster recovery while ensuring equitable access and better outcomes.

The Division of Grant Review (DGR) is recruiting reviewers who have academic qualifications and meet the requirements of the 21st Century CURES Act.

Preferred CURES Act Experience:

A medical degree, a doctoral degree in psychology, or an advanced degree in nursing or social work from an accredited program.

An active license and experience in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or recovery from mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder.

In addition to recruiting those with the preferred CURES Act experience, DGR continues to search for the following:

People who meet the general reviewer qualifications found on SAMHSA’s “How to Become a SAMHSA Reviewer” webpage.

Expectations:

Participate in a mandatory pre-review teleconference to learn about key aspects of the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Availability during the review period, which is expected to last approximately two weeks and participation in a follow-up conference call with other reviewers if needed.

Analyze and evaluate grant applications against published evaluation criteria.

Clear writing style and adherence to deadlines.

Reviewers will receive $180 per application reviewed and returned to SAMHSA in the timeline specified for each program.

Please contact DGR at reviewer@samhsa.hhs.gov for more information or go to the website to submit your information.

MDHHS launches on-line SUD services mapping tool

Below is a recent notice, by Bridge magazine, of the recently announced licensed SUD services mapping tool.

Bridge has spent months chronicling the devastating impact of the ongoing opioid crisis and disagreement over how the state and local governments will spend a combined $1.6 billion in funds intended to help. Now, Michigan has launched a new online mapping tool to allow those with substance abuse disorders to find help. It’s searchable by ZIP code, city or county, and it identifies which providers accept Medicaid.

The mapping tool can be found here.

Education, Sponsorship & Exhibition

CMHA Events

To search all upcoming CMHAM events, including conferences, trainings and webinars click here.

Great Lakes Mental Health Technology Transfer Center

Great Lakes MHTTC in transition to multi-regional partnership

As Weekly Update readers know, CMHA is the Michigan partner with the SAMHSA funded Great Lakes Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC). That partnership provides Michigan’s behavioral health community with access to cutting edge education and training offerings from across the country and the Great Lakes region while also allowing CMHA to expand its catalog of education and training offerings to its members and allies.

On October 1, 2024, the Great Lakes Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) will be transitioning to a multi-region Center, led by the University of Wisconsin (the leader of the Great Lakes MHTTC) and Stanford University.

CMHA will keep you informed as to the role of CMHA in that new partnership and the resources that this new partnership will be able to provide to CMHA members.

After October 1, you will be able to have access to all of the resources developed by the Great Lakes MHTTC at the University of Wisconsin’s website.