During a workshop at the recent CMHA Fall Conference, during which this project was spotlighted, it was recommended that CMHA keep its members up to date on this project. This recommendation is one that we took to heart and, with PSC doing the heavy lifting, are providing you with an update on this effort, below. We expect to continue to provide you with updates on the progress of this effort over the next year.

This story, along with the growing list of solutions journalism stories centered around the work of Michigan’s public mental health system, can be found at: https://cmham.org/newsroom/

This partnership, with the Issue Media Group (IMG), is built around the concept of “solutions journalism” – providing news about innovative and concrete ways that communities, across Michigan, are addressing the needs of their residents along a number of dimensions – healthcare, economic development, education, the arts, to name a few. Solutions journalism investigates and explains, in a critical and clear-eyed way, how people try to solve widely shared problems. While news sources and many of us typically define news as “what’s gone wrong,” solutions journalism runs counter to that definition by covering the innovative responses to identified needs and problems.

This partnership ensures that the work of Michigan’s public mental health system is highlighted in IMG’s large suite of solutions journalism-focused publications.

If your organization would like to be a part of this effort, via the purchase of a partnership share and the active participation in the generation of stories for these local and statewide electronic newspapers, contact Bob Sheehan at rsheehan@cmham.org or Paul Schutt at paul@issuemediagroup.com 

You can subscribe, at no cost, to these publications, on the websites of each of these publications. The list of partner publications and their websites are provided below:

Second Wave – Michigan
Capital Gains – Lansing
Catalyst Midland
Concentrate – Ann Arbor/Ypsi
Epicenter – Mount Pleasant
Flintside
Metromode – Metro Detroit
Model D
Route Bay City
Rural Innovation Exchange
Second Wave -Southwest Michigan
The Keel – Port Huron
The Lakeshore
Upword – UP

Look for more articles like this over the coming year.

Several years ago, in recognition of this disparate access to good and bad news, CMHA and its members embarked on an “Accurate Picture Campaign” to provide these audiences with a clear and balanced picture of the state’s public system. This campaign led to the partnership of CMHA and a number of its members with the Issue Media Group (IMG) – the partnership highlighted in the article, above.

NEXT PHASE OF THE ACCURATE PICTURE INITIATIVE: The next phase of “Accurate Picture” initiative was recently kicked-off with the development of an agreement of CMHA and MDHHS agreement to develop and implement a joint effort, between MDHHS, CMHA, and its members, to provide the public, the media, key policy makers and legislators with a regular flow of information on the successes and high levels of performance of Michigan’s public mental health system. This partnership holds great promise for giving Michiganders an accurate picture of our system. The first partnership on this front is a jointly press release applauding the expansion of clinical training, by MDHHS, to children’s services clinicians. Excerpts of that press release are provided below:

MDHHS launches Capacity Building Center to improve access to training for behavioral health providers

“The creation of the CBC is a powerful addition to the comprehensive clinical training initiative MDHHS has pioneered in partnership with CMHA over the past several decades,” said Robert Sheehan, CEO of the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan. “The CBC further strengthens Michigan’s place at the forefront, nationally, in the provision of education and training on cutting edge and proven clinical practices designed to sustain and strengthen the skills of clinicians in the state’s public mental health system.”

The full press release can be found here.

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.

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.

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.

Below are two articles in this week’s editions of Gongwer and MIRS, the two Michigan Capitol news services, around this legal action.

Public Mental Health Plans File Against DHHS

Michigan’s public mental health plans filed a lawsuit accusing the state’s Department of Health and Human Services of imposing unnegotiated contract terms and threatening to cut off funding.

The plans, known as prepaid inpatient health plans (PIHP) argued DHHS’ actions violate state law and jeopardize mental health and substance use disorder services for thousands of residents.

“This isn’t just a contract dispute – it’s about ensuring the stability of behavioral health services that families across the state rely on every day,” said Robert SHEEHAN, chief executive officer of Community Mental Health Association of Michigan.  

The six-count complaint, filed on behalf of NorthCare Network Mental Health Care Entity and Northern Michigan Regional Entity in the Court of Claims, alleges in part violation of the Headlee Amendment, and the PIHPs seek a writ compelling the state to continue providing Medicaid and general funds to the PIHPs as well as retraction of any communications and actions “taken to terminate the relationship between DHHS and plaintiffs.”

The plaintiffs, who want a preliminary injunction prohibiting DHHS from withholding substance abuse disorder health home services funding, also want a hearing to dispute DHHS’ decision to terminate contracts and they seek unspecified damages.

A message to DHHS spokesperson was not immediately returned.

According to the complaint filed by plaintiffs’ attorney, Christopher J. RYAN, DHHS “threatened to terminate” its relationship with the plaintiffs, including Region 10 PIHP, by Oct. 31 if they did not sign a fiscal year 2025 contract.

Plaintiffs signed a revised contract that they said modified DHHS’ “offending provisions,” but DHHS refused to sign. Instead, the plaintiffs claim, DHHS made “good on its threat by withholding Medicaid funds” owed to the plaintiffs.

The alleged offending provisions included DHHS’ proposal to cap public mental health plans’ risk reserves at 7.5% of annual revenues, which the plaintiffs argue disregards actuarial recommendations.

The plaintiffs also alleged DHHS wanted to shift the financial burden of managing certified community behavioral health clinics to the plaintiffs without funding from the state, which violates the Michigan Constitution.

“We’re standing up for fairness, fiscal responsibility, and most importantly, the people who depend on these services,” Sheehan said. “Michigan families deserve better.”

3 Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans Sue DHHS Over Allegedly Illegal Contract Provisions

Three of Michigan’s 10 prepaid inpatient health plans sued the Department of Health and Human Services recently over what they claim was an attempt to “bully” the plaintiffs to agree to allegedly unreasonable and illegal fiscal year 2024-25 contract provisions.

The lawsuit, Northcare Network Mental Health Care Entity v. Michigan (COC Docket No. 24-000198), filed last week in the Court of Claims, further alleges DHHS threatened that if the plaintiffs did not sign the agreement by October 31, DHHS would terminate its relationship with the entities and cut off vital funding.

Northern Michigan Regional Entity and Region 10 PIHP are also named plaintiffs in the lawsuit. DHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel is a named defendant.

“The plaintiffs each signed the FY25 Contract after modifying the offending provisions, but MDHHS refused to counter-sign,” the complaint said. “(The) defendants are now making good on their threat by withholding Medicaid funds from the plaintiffs to the detriment of the beneficiaries the plaintiffs serve.”

Northcare asks Judge Sima Patel to strike and void three contract provisions related to the funding of their respective Internal Service Fund (ISF) accounts, adherence to a settlement in a separate case regarding directives for Medicaid expenditures, which the plaintiffs say is illegal, and alleged attempts by DHHS to shift the financial burden for managing certified community behavioral health clinics to the plaintiffs without state funding in violation of the Constitution.

“This suit also seeks a declaration that even in the absence of a contract, MDHHS is statutorily obligated to continue providing funding to the plaintiffs,” the lawsuit added. “The defendants recently retaliated against the plaintiffs by stating MDHHS will not provide Medicaid dollars to fund the Substance Use Disorder Health Home (SUDHH) programs in their respective regions. The SUDHH program has absolutely nothing to do with the parties’ dispute. While this shameful negotiation tactic will harm Plaintiffs, who have each expended resources in reliance on the defendants fulfilling their obligation to provide the funding, the most significant harm will come to the citizens eligible to receive SUDHH services.”

The plaintiffs are also seeking a preliminary injunction

Under the IBH Model, CMS, participating states, and community-based behavioral health providers will collaborate to improve the overall quality of care and outcomes for adults enrolled in Medicaid and Medicare with moderate to severe mental health conditions and/or substance use disorders.

The IBH Model supports specialty behavioral health practices in the delivery of integrated care in outpatient settings by prioritizing close collaboration with primary care and other physical health providers with a goal to address all aspects of a patient’s care.

Additional information about the IBH Model can be found on the model webpage, including:

• IBH Model Fact Sheet
• IBH Overview Webinar
• Frequently Asked Questions, which are updated on a rolling basis.

Congratulations to MDHHS for applying and being accepted as a state involved in the IBH initiative.

With Republicans staying away from the House again and no quorum, the remnants of the House Democratic majority adjourned at 2:17 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. December 31, driving a stake through more than 200 Senate-passed bills eligible for action in the House.

The stunned Democratic majority in the Senate, which at least had all its members present Thursday, caucused at-length before deciding they would pass priority House-passed bills sitting in their chamber to get them to Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Senate Democrats appeared resolved to make the best of a bad situation, queuing up more than 100 bills for action.

As of 4 a.m., it had passed 40 of them, including some significant ones like a major overhaul on initiative and candidate petitions, the “Momnibus” maternal and child health bills and some charter school regulations.

“I am deeply disappointed that the House of Representatives called it quits while so many great pieces of legislation were ready for the green light,” Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) said in a statement. “Legislators are tasked with the responsibility of using every tool available to advocate for their constituents and communities, and ‘frustrated’ is too light of a word to describe my dismay that the House failed to meet its obligations in this historic moment.”

Brinks added, “The Michigan Senate is still in session and we have the opportunity to do good – a lot of good. In the coming hours, residents can count on us to act on key items that will protect the state’s children, improve on-the-job rights for workers, and more.”

Still, there was no fixing the reality that many Democratic priorities died in the House.

It is a scenario impossible to have imagined two years ago when Democrats were aglow at their forthcoming 20-18 Senate and 56-54 House majorities.

There was a yin and yang to the events. For every Democrat in tears, muttering four-letter words and staring blankly, there was a Republican in good spirits, knowing an avalanche of left-of-center legislation was toast. For every group that was absolutely devastated and furious to see their bills die on the one-yard line, there was a group savoring victory at that legislation’s defeat.

As just one example, a series of tobacco licensing bills that had passed the Senate and were queued up for final passage on the House floor (SB 651 Track, SB 652 Track, SB 653 Track, SB 654 Track) instead will have to start over next year. There was a companion House package (HB 6002 Track, HB 6003 Track, HB 6004 Track, HB 6005 Track), but the bills had all been sliced and diced to accommodate sponsorship and tie-bars installed, meaning the bills would have no effect without all of them becoming law.

“As a mother, a Detroiter, a health advocate, and a Black woman, I am beyond disgusted by the political gamesmanship that took precedence over the health of our kids,” said Minou Jones, chair of the Detroit Wayne Oakland Tobacco Free Coalition, in a statement. “Our elected officials didn’t finish the job and that is not acceptable. This childish behavior didn’t benefit anyone, and our kids are truly the big losers here today.”

Another unbelievable casualty was a bill – sponsored by a House Republican and receiving considerable support from GOP lawmakers – that would require state funding for juvenile defense as well as provide training for legal defenders and more oversight for juvenile judicial representation. HB 4630 Track passed the House 85-25 in October 2023. The Senate passed it a week ago 26-10.

But the Senate made a small change when it passed the bill, striking an outdated effective date. That meant it needed a concurrence vote from the House before it went to Whitmer’s desk. It never got one. The Senate filed a desperation request Thursday for the House to return the bill, presumably so the Senate could reconsider the vote by which it adopted the amendment striking the effective date, which would mean the bill could go to Whitmer.

The House, with no quorum, could not grant the request. The bill will die there.

It was a catastrophic end to the speakership of House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit), who finally acceded to pleas that he issue a Call of the House to force the attendance of Whitsett, as well as all 54 Republicans who walked out in protest last Friday after Tate killed action on road funding, changes to the wage law on tipped workers and paid sick time. But instead of finally corralling the members into the House Chamber, it appeared another example of how the House Democratic Caucus fell apart when the move stunned Whitsett, who had been told by one Democratic member working for her return a Call of the House would not be imposed.

It was a triumph for House Minority Leader Matt Hall (R-Richland), the House speaker-elect, who can now put on his trophy shelf the twin victories of putting an end date on Democratic rule by leading Republicans to House control in the November elections and halting the legislative express Democrats had planned for lame duck.

All year, amid the total inertia in the House (few voting sessions, far less committee activity and essentially only running a full-time operation in May and June), House Democrats told the supporters of all manner of issues, “We’ll get to it in lame duck.” Lame duck arrived, and when Hall said Tate crossed him, he pushed the nuclear button, pulled Republican members off the floor and obliterated a raft of Democratic priorities, as well as some noncontroversial bipartisan bills.

When the Democrats won majority, there was an immediate question about Whitsett and whether she would be a reliable 56th member. There were even rumors she might caucus with the Republicans to put the House in a 55-55 tie. But Whitsett batted those away, and for most of the two-year term, she was a relatively reliable vote for the Democrats and a loyal backer of Tate.

Whitmer kept herself message-wise as far away as possible from the implosion at the Capitol.  There was no shortage of questions going around Lansing wondering why Whitmer was not stationed in the House Chamber or in the Governor’s Ceremonial Office around the corner trying to help work out a compromise of some sort as governors have done in the past at key moments. Then again, it’s unclear what, if anything, she could have accomplished in such a dumpster fire by being there.

Tate, the subject of near caucus-wide scorn in the past week, skipped the speeches, nor did he pose for a family photo of sorts with the caucus just before they parted ways.

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!

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

2025 Room Rates:
Standard Room:   $169 plus taxes (Single/Double/Triple/Quad)
Concierge Room: $219 (Single/Double)

Parking: Discounted rate for self-parking: $12 per night/car for all attendees.

Hotel Check In: 4 p.m.       Hotel Check Out: Noon

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.”

Book Your Hotel Reservation Online

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).

Conference registration coming soon!

These stories, along with the growing list of solutions journalism stories centered around the work of Michigan’s public mental health system, can be found at: https://cmham.org/newsroom/

This partnership, with the Issue Media Group (IMG), is built around the concept of “solutions journalism” – providing news about innovative and concrete ways that communities, across Michigan, are addressing the needs of their residents along a number of dimensions – healthcare, economic development, education, the arts, to name a few. Solutions journalism investigates and explains, in a critical and clear-eyed way, how people try to solve widely shared problems. While news sources and many of us typically define news as “what’s gone wrong,” solutions journalism runs counter to that definition by covering the innovative responses to identified needs and problems.

This partnership ensures that the work of Michigan’s public mental health system is highlighted in IMG’s large suite of solutions journalism-focused publications.

If your organization would like to be a part of this effort, via the purchase of a partnership share and the active participation in the generation of stories for these local and statewide electronic newspapers, contact Bob Sheehan at rsheehan@cmham.org or Paul Schutt at paul@issuemediagroup.com

You can subscribe, at no cost, to these publications, on the websites of each of these publications. The list of partner publications and their websites are provided below:

Second Wave – Michigan

Capital Gains – Lansing

Catalyst Midland

Concentrate – Ann Arbor/Ypsi

Epicenter – Mount Pleasant

Flintside

Metromode – Metro Detroit

Model D

Route Bay City

Rural Innovation Exchange

Second Wave -Southwest Michigan

The Keel – Port Huron

The Lakeshore

Upword – UP

Look for more articles like this over the coming year.

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.

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.

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.

Welcome to the latest edition of our SDOH newsletter. Our newsletter aims to provide you with updates on the initiatives and progress within this current phase, along with relevant partner updates, with the goal of fostering transparency and creating space for meaningful collaboration.

Phase III of the SDOH Strategy, which launched in January 2024, represents a significant progression in our commitment to holistic well-being. Building on the foundational achievements of Phase I, which prioritized critical areas such as food security, housing stability, and health equity, we now advance our efforts. Our latest phase synthesizes insights gained from our earlier efforts, incorporates feedback from Michigan’s diverse partners, and employs a collaborative, community-driven approach to address emerging challenges.

Click here to learn more about Phase III of the SDOH strategy.

Subscribe to the SDOH newsletter

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!

The Michigan Rural Health Conference aims to provide engaging education on relevant topics for rural health providers. Conference objectives include:

Bringing rural healthcare providers together.
Offering networking and collaboration opportunities.
Providing current and relevant information to rural healthcare providers.

The Michigan Rural Health Conference typically hosts presentations that are focused on the following areas:

Health Information Technology
Public Health
Health Equity
EMS
Workforce
Finance & Operations
Quality Improvement

Suggested Topics of Interest to Conference Attendees:

Workforce:

Integrating Telehealth
Staffing Shortages
Enhancing Workforce Retention and Well-being

Rural Health Clinic:

HEIDIS Measures with RHCs
RHC Survey Information
Emergency Preparedness and Response in RHCs
Maximizing Reimbursement
Leveraging Technology for Data-Driven Decision-Making

Social Drivers of Health:

Transportation, Food Security, & Other Social Drivers of Health
Engaging Disproportionately Impacted Populations
Other Innovative Approaches to Rural Health Care

Proposal Information: Proposals are welcomed for 60-minute presentations that are interactive, creative, dynamic, feature best practices in rural health, and will encompass this year’s theme Vision Into Action: Rising Together.

The presentation time frame will include introductions, presentation material, and time for questions and answers. Proposals are due by 11:45 pm January 17, 2025*

*All applicants will be notified of acceptance, regret, or waitlist by February 14, 2025. All applicants are encouraged to include a photograph and bio when submitting proposals.

Scan the QR Code to be Taken Directly to the Presentation Submission Portal

CYCLE 1
Grant range up to $200,000
Concept papers due January 16, 2025
Proposals due February 20, 2025
Grants announced May 2025

CYCLE 2
Grant range up to $200,000
Concept papers due June 10, 2025
Proposals due July 22, 2025
Grants announced November 2025

The Michigan Health Endowment Fund 2025 Capacity Building Initiative seeks proposals to support the core functions of organizations and their collaboratives through organizational and collaborative capacity building grants.

This grant program aims to:

Assist health-focused, community-based organizations in becoming stronger, more effective institutions in their communities, allowing them to spend more time focused on their mission and collaborative efforts.

Increase or improve collaboration among providers, service agencies, the business community, and community-based organizations within a community to address health issues in a sustainable way.

View the Health Fund website and RFP for more details by clicking here.

CAPACITY BUILDING RFP & RESOURCES

Overview x2: Crafting Budgets & 2025 Capacity Building Initiative

Join us January 6, 2025, at noon for a “two-in-one” webinar: we’ll start with a short, demonstrative session on preparing budgets for Health Fund grant applications. Afterward, we’ll transition to an overview of our 2025 Capacity Building Grant Initiative.

In the first segment, our grants manager will provide tips for crafting budgets and navigating the budget portion of our application across all Health Fund grant programs. In the second segment, our program team will go over the priorities and processes in our 2025 Capacity Building RFP. We’ll have time for Q&A after each session, and we’ll share recordings with registrants afterward.

Join us for the full webinar or hop on at 12:30 p.m. to catch the RFP portion only. You are welcome to participate with your camera off. Come with lunch: bring an appetite for learning and a new grant opportunity! We look forward to seeing you there. Questions? Contact Veronica Marchese at veronica@mihealthfund.org. Register and view the full agenda by clicking here.

REGISTER FOR HEALTH FUND WEBINAR

Please note: The Capacity Building program is referenced in two cycles. The grant limit has increased to $200,000 for 2025. The application for our Community Health Impact program will open in May.

You can find more informational resources, including past grants and frequently asked questions, on our website and new Grant Database.

Questions? Contact Veronica Marchese at veronica@mihealthfund.org

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.

Interested eligible applicants are encouraged to submit a letter of intent to apply for funding. The information in the attached document contains guidance regarding the funding opportunity, deadlines, requesting clarifying information, the required contents of the letter of intent, and how to submit. Deadline for applying for this funding opportunity is January 10, 2025.

MDHHS anticipates awarding a total of $20,000,000 to eligible applicants, and these grants will have a term of either one or two years, beginning on March 17, 2025 (date subject to change).

PSH Supportive Services LOI
December 4, 2024 – 10:30 am EST
REGISTER HERE!

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the event

Additional grant application resources Supplemental Budget Template and PSH Supportive Services LOI Application

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.

A Democratic House member has alerted leadership that a health issue will prevent her from attending session for at least this week. A call to the member and the member’s office failed to provide clarification regarding her potential availability during lame duck.

The issue of attendance during lame duck is critical, given the Democrats’ slim 56-54 majority in the House. The absence of one more Democratic member would prevent a bill from passing on only party-line votes.

Another wrinkle in the fabric is some conferences that are taking place in December, starting with the National Black Caucus of State Legislators in Washington D.C., which is scheduled to meet Dec. 2-7. House Speaker Joe TATE (D-Detroit) is listed as a featured guest for a Wednesday afternoon plenary session. However, House Democratic spokesperson said the Speaker will be attending that event virtually and plans to be in Lansing for session that day.

Whether others attend the conference, which has seen participation from Michigan legislators in the past, is in question, but legislative leaders are urging their members to stay in Lansing.

The same is true for another conference, the State Innovation Exchange (SiX), a progressive policy group that’s active in Michigan, which is holding its first national conference Dec. 11-13 in Atlanta, Ga. While none of Michigan’s state legislators are listed as speakers, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Tim BORING and Michigan SiX Director Tom LENARD have slots on the schedule.

“We expect every member to participate in session as long as they’re physically able to be there,” said House Majority Floor Leader Abraham AIYASH (D-Hamtramck). “We are not making exceptions for conferences.”

Sen. Erika GEISS (D-Taylor), chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, said she is urging “members to make wise choices, taking into account that these conferences overlap with lame duck. What they do with that and where they believe they need to be is entirely up to them.”

However, the health issue of at least one member has Democrats conceding that working with House Republicans for at least the first week of lame duck (if not more) will be necessary. The House will be in session as scheduled next week, voting all three days, but will need Minority Leader Matt HALL (R-Richland Township)‘s help to pass legislation. At this point, the Democratic caucus is “still hopeful” about its attendance.

Meanwhile, following up on a report from last night, the Governor’s office confirmed this morning that the Governor has meetings scheduled with leaders of both parties as the Legislature returns from Thanksgiving break.

“The Governor met with legislative leaders during their last week of session prior to the Legislature’s hunting break,” said Whitmer Communications Director Bobby LEDDY. “As the Governor has said repeatedly, she looks forward to working with both parties in lame duck on legislation to expand economic development tools and fix the roads.”

The updates come as House and Senate members combined to introduce 295 bills in the month of November, more than twice as many as in 2022 (99) and more than 2020 (168), 2018 (217) and 2016 (110). Numerous interest groups are pushing to get their priorities through during the three-week window.

The Republicans under the presumed next speaker, Rep. Matt HALL (R-Richland Township), will treat the oversight committee the same as the appropriations committee and standing committees as a whole. 

The goal is to make sure the government is working well, and that money is being spent wisely.  Logistically, there are still several questions. The size of the committee isn’t known, although it promises to be larger than today’s nine-member committee. Some members want the committee to be given subpoena powers, but that hasn’t been ironed out, yet, according to a source. 

The committee will have a unique process in which subcommittees or a team of members will be asked to dive into specific issues over a period of months. 

In Gov. Gretchen WHITMER‘s first four years, then-Oversight Committee Chair Hall and Steve JOHNSON did deeper dives than prior House committees. This committee promises to be even more extensive with the Democratic governor completing her final two years. 

It will be more than going through a department budget.  “It’s going to be a big, big thing over the next two years,” one source said. 

Without opposition, the Michigan Senate passed SB 918, SB 917, SB 916 and SB 915 allows law enforcement officers to take someone in for a psychiatric examination if they have “reasonable cause” to believe they need community mental health treatment. Currently, officers must personally witness signs of uncontrolled mental illness.

Proponents of SB 915, such as the Mental Health Association in Michigan (MHAM), say it will give officers “greater latitude” to follow guidance from loved ones and treatment providers who contact them flagging someone’s behavior.  Additionally, the bill permits psychiatric nurse practitioners to conduct examinations. 

During an Oct. 9 Senate Health Policy Committee hearing, MHAP President Marianne HUFF said she frequently gets phone calls from family members seeking treatment for loved ones. But in order to get it, according to their complaints, the person “has to be basically so incapacitated by symptoms” that they become potentially and unintentionally harmful, she explained.   

“When somebody has uncontrolled symptoms of those conditions, mainly psychosis or what we would call hyper-mania, there is a lack of the understanding of the need for treatment,” Huff said. “Nobody should have to be so overcome by symptoms of a mental health condition that they could either harm themselves or someone else without meaning to, or find themselves in the criminal justice system.” 

SB 916 sets up a system where prosecuting attorneys, defendants or their counsel can make a motion subjecting someone to a mental health examination following misdemeanor charges. After a petition hearing – with petition filings based on the examination’s findings – courts can place that person into an assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) program for up to 180 days. 

Although the bill states that conditions for release from the courts’ oversight must be separate from complying with a treatment plan, it does provide that misdemeanor charges can be dismissed 90 days after the individual’s AOT order. If they’re charged with a “serious misdemeanor,” the timeframe will be 180 days.

At the same time, the defendant can oppose being diverted from criminal prosecution and into AOT, choosing to remain in the criminal justice system. The prosecuting attorney would have the same influence if they object. 

“This allows for individuals to focus on their treatment without the immediate pressure of legal consequences, fostering an environment for recovery if they comply with the treatment,” said Sen. Sylvia SANTANA (D-Detroit), the sponsor of SB 916, in December. “This bill represents a compassionate and more pragmatic approach to addressing mental health within our criminal justice system, by prioritizing treatment over punishment.” 

Also in the legislation, care providers and family members have the opportunity to seek mediation before a petition is filed with a probate court that could result in involuntary treatment. 

According to backers of the reform, mediation requests require the person being flagged for mental illness to speak with a community mental health (CMH) provider early on, discussing treatment plans with their input. 

However, when a petition is filed, the individual will be examined in a hospital by a physician or licensed psychologist for no longer than 24 hours.

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.

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.

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.

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.

After last week’s announcement that the U.S. Department of Justice will investigate whether Michigan’s state-run psychiatric hospitals are keeping patients for unnecessary amounts of time, community mental health advocates hope the new federal focus will bring attention to underlying issues that have been impacting the system for years.

Community Mental Health Association of Michigan CEO Robert Sheehan said he sees the DOJ investigation as a positive for Michigan’s mental health system, with the potential to push lawmakers towards solutions to the root causes of excessive hospitalizations, like staffing issues and the complex care required for patients with cognitive impairments and severe mental health conditions.

“This could move the state to say that we have a direct care worker crisis, which the Direct Care Worker Coalition has been saying for over a decade, and there’s no other way to solve this besides getting qualified people in who have the skills,” Sheehan said. “It takes a lot of skills to deescalate, to avoid using physical management, it takes an incredibly skilled staff member, and if you pay fifteen bucks an hour, most people can work at lots of other jobs that are less complex.”

Examining the contributing factors of longer psychiatric hospital stays, Sheehan said the complexity of care needed for those with serious mental health issues and the lack of direct care workers to offer that help outside of the hospital setting makes it difficult for people to access the level of treatment they require.

Beyond that, beds in intensive crisis stabilization treatment centers are paid for out of the General Fund as opposed to Medicaid, which Sheehan said further limits access for people hoping to transition out of longer-term hospital stays.

“Our members actually have a hard time placing people in state hospitals who need them, because the beds are full of people who can’t get out,” Sheehan said. “It’s called a flow through problem, which means there’s no way to enter. So, our members are struggling with people in local hospitals really don’t belong there.”

Sheehan said he imagines the DOJ investigation will turn up largely what community mental health organizations in Michigan already know: despite best efforts to move people out of psychiatric hospitals and back into their communities, institutional boundaries make it difficult.

Most direct care workers in Michigan are making about $15 per hour, a minimum wage they’ve lobbied to see increased. Sheehan said in order to make a dent in the number of patients in state-run hospitals, direct care workers in community mental health facilities would have to see a wage increase of up to $28 per hour or higher, with competitive benefits.

“It becomes kind of obvious that people are sitting there because they don’t have a place to go, and there’s a lack of beds. And DOJ, I think, would say, ‘what’s causing you as a state not to have enough beds out in the community?’ And I think it’s pay,” Sheehan said. “You’d have to really increase the pay to get people in. We’re talking about a boost. People have asked us if we understand how much this is going to cost. And I say, because you’ve underfunded it for so long, it’s hard to catch up in one fell swoop.”

Direct care worker minimum wages have seen increases in the past several years to hit the $15 threshold, but Sheehan said more effort is needed from lawmakers. He hopes the DOJ investigation prompts further action.

“At this pace, (if we) keep coming back and getting Dixie cups worth of water to fight a forest fire, we’re going to be back a lot of times,” he said. “Well, I think DOJ will say you can’t use the Dixie cup anymore.”

The CMIP for FYs 2024 – 2028 is divided among four main themes that align with CMS’ strategic plan:

• Protect Programs: CMS’ primary program integrity goal is to protect sustainability of Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for future generations. CMS strives to be a responsible steward of public funds and ensure accountability of states, providers and plans that participate in Medicaid and CHIP. CMS uses risk-based approaches to prioritize and evaluate program integrity vulnerabilities and develop appropriate mitigations to reduce fraud and abuse while protecting Medicaid enrollees from harm.
• Engage State Partners: Effective Medicaid program integrity efforts require CMS and states to work in close partnership. CMS engages its state partners throughout the program integrity development and implementation process while being mindful of the uniqueness of each state’s size, delivery systems, and level of risk.
• Advance Equity: CMS works to design, implement, and operationalize policies that support health for all the people served by Medicaid and CHIP, such as by ensuring that individuals remain enrolled when they meet eligibility requirements and have access to covered benefits.
• Drive Innovation: CMS drives innovation to tackle health system challenges and emerging program integrity risks, creating a stronger, better Medicaid program.

• An expansion to the state’s Disaster and Emergency Contingency Fund (DECF), the pot of money used to give assistance to parts of the state hit by natural disasters.
• The creation of the Innovation Fund the Governor proposed in her budget recommendation. The money would help universities and nonprofits invest in tech startups with all returns on investment being reinvested back into the program to support additional startups. 
• A mortgage assistance program through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA).
• A Public Safety Trust Fund to provide additional law enforcement support for local governments.
• Additional data privacy protections.

Asked to address the Governor’s lame duck priorities, Communications Director Bobby LEDDY said, “Our job remains the same no matter who is in the White House or the state House. 

Senate Majority Winnie BRINKS (D-Grand Rapids) said the list of Lame Duck priorities is still being hashed out and that the “pieces now on the chessboard are being determined.” 

The restaurant community wants to see how legislators might address Michigan possibly outlawing the sub-minimum wage standard for tipped employees, as instructed by the state Supreme Court’s adopt-and-amend ruling in July. But Brinks said she is still taking input and feedback on that topic. 

She explained there’s a long list of things that many people would like to get done this term, “but at the end of the day, it’s not as easy as it looks from the outside.” 

…when she introduced the bills that the outdated and unenforceable statute language about workforce engagement requirements — which also undermine the state’s efforts to drive down health care costs by expanding access to primary care — need to be removed.

“Medicaid is health care, and everyone should have access to affordable and quality health care,” Rogers said. “These burdensome requirements merely posed a bureaucratic hurdle in front of otherwise eligible individuals who could end up receiving expensive care in the emergency room rather than receiving preventive medical care.”

As of March 13, 1 million people enrolled in the Healthy Michigan Plan. Access to health care increases primary care usage, reduces dependence on emergency rooms and strengthens our economy. Now that these burdensome provisions are no longer valid and enforceable, it is time to remove this outdated language.

Rep. Greg MARKKANEN (R-Hancock) and Rep. John ROTH (R-Interlochen), who both voted against the bill, released statements in opposition to its passage after session.  

“Most families include at least one person who is working a full-time job to provide for their loved ones; it only makes sense that people receiving government assistance should also be required to hold down a job,” Markkanen’s statement reads. “Luckily, most people receiving government assistance are doing everything they can to earn a steady income so they can eventually not need the help. Unfortunately, some need an extra push to become employed and active members of society.” 

Both statements mentioned the exemptions for the work requirement currently in place, such as for a parent taking care of a child in the absence of the other parent.  

They also said ways to fulfill the work requirement are not limited to traditional employment but can also include unpaid internships, education training, community service and substance-use disorder treatment.  

Roth said he is in support of the Supreme Court reversing its decision.

“It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Democrats are running to get rid of this law right after significant Republican victories,” Roth said. The writing is on the wall. Hopefully, the Supreme Court will soon reverse their decision and allow us to enact these meaningful work requirements – which again, are meant to help, not hinder, Medicaid recipients.” 

The approved changes made to the State Plan for July 1, 2024, to September 30, 2024, are listed below:

Supplement to Attachment 3.1-A Pages 13a continued (p.9) (SPA 24-0007)

Supplement to Attachment 3.1-A Pages 36 and 36a (SPA 24-0005)

Supplement 1 to Attachment 3.1-A Pages 1-H-1 to 1-H-6 (SPA 24-0004)

Supplement 1 to Attachment 3.1-A Pages 1-I-1 to 1-I-5 (SPA 24-0006)

Supplement 1 to Attachment 3.1-A Pages 1-J-1 to 1-J-5 (SPA 24-0009)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 2c.2 (SPA 24-0010)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 4 (SPA 24-0004)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 4a (SPA 24-0006)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 4b (SPA 24-0009)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 6f (SPA 24-0015)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 9b (SPA 24-0007)

Attachment 4.19-D Section I Page 1 (SPA 24-0012)

Attachment 4.22-B Pages 1 and 2 (SPA 24-0016)

These page changes were made as a result of the approval of:

CSHCS Medical Complexity New TCM (SPA 24-0004)

NEMT clarification (SPA 24-0005)

Integrated Care Coordination with Wraparound TCM (SPA 24-0006)

Parent Support Partner Services (SPA 24-0007)

Recuperative Care TCM (SPA 24-0009)

Incontinence Volume Purchase Contract and Non-Sterile Gloves Rates (SPA 24-0010)

Penalty Policy – Nursing Facilities (SPA 24-0012)

Vaccine Administration Rate (SPA 24-0015)

Paternity Confinement Expenses End (SPA 24-0016)

Medicaid Model Data Lab (MMDL) and MACPro SPAs:

SUD-HH Update (ABP SPA 24-1002)

Recuperative Care TCM (ABP SPA 24-1003)

SUD-HH Update (SPA 24-1501)

Although approved, the MMDL and MACPro SPAs are not currently incorporated into the traditional State Plan. They are submitted and approved using CMS on-line processes and States are awaiting CMS direction as to how these types of SPAs will be incorporated into the State Plan.  The SPA approval packages are or will be very soon available on the website at State Plan Amendments (michigan.gov).

Erin Black, Federal Liaison, blacke@michigan.gov

The conference attracts over 400 attendees. We bring together board members, CEOs, COOs, CFOs, medical directors, clinical directors, case workers, supports coordinators, and children’s supervisors from Michigan CMHSPs and Provider Agencies. We also have strong attendance from others within the public mental health and substance use disorder systems.

Come be a part of this conference by showcasing your agency’s successful programs!

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.

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.

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.

• An expansion to the state’s Disaster and Emergency Contingency Fund (DECF), the pot of money used to give assistance to parts of the state hit by natural disasters.
• The creation of the Innovation Fund the Governor proposed in her budget recommendation. The money would help universities and nonprofits invest in tech startups with all returns on investment being reinvested back into the program to support additional startups. 
• A mortgage assistance program through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA).
• A Public Safety Trust Fund to provide additional law enforcement support for local governments.
• Additional data privacy protections.

Asked to address the Governor’s lame duck priorities, Communications Director Bobby LEDDY said, “Our job remains the same no matter who is in the White House or the state House. 

Senate Majority Winnie BRINKS (D-Grand Rapids) said the list of Lame Duck priorities is still being hashed out and that the “pieces now on the chessboard are being determined.” 

The restaurant community wants to see how legislators might address Michigan possibly outlawing the sub-minimum wage standard for tipped employees, as instructed by the state Supreme Court’s adopt-and-amend ruling in July. But Brinks said she is still taking input and feedback on that topic. 

She explained there’s a long list of things that many people would like to get done this term, “but at the end of the day, it’s not as easy as it looks from the outside.” 

…when she introduced the bills that the outdated and unenforceable statute language about workforce engagement requirements — which also undermine the state’s efforts to drive down health care costs by expanding access to primary care — need to be removed.

“Medicaid is health care, and everyone should have access to affordable and quality health care,” Rogers said. “These burdensome requirements merely posed a bureaucratic hurdle in front of otherwise eligible individuals who could end up receiving expensive care in the emergency room rather than receiving preventive medical care.”

As of March 13, 1 million people enrolled in the Healthy Michigan Plan. Access to health care increases primary care usage, reduces dependence on emergency rooms and strengthens our economy. Now that these burdensome provisions are no longer valid and enforceable, it is time to remove this outdated language.

Rep. Greg MARKKANEN (R-Hancock) and Rep. John ROTH (R-Interlochen), who both voted against the bill, released statements in opposition to its passage after session.  

“Most families include at least one person who is working a full-time job to provide for their loved ones; it only makes sense that people receiving government assistance should also be required to hold down a job,” Markkanen’s statement reads. “Luckily, most people receiving government assistance are doing everything they can to earn a steady income so they can eventually not need the help. Unfortunately, some need an extra push to become employed and active members of society.” 

Both statements mentioned the exemptions for the work requirement currently in place, such as for a parent taking care of a child in the absence of the other parent.  

They also said ways to fulfill the work requirement are not limited to traditional employment but can also include unpaid internships, education training, community service and substance-use disorder treatment.  

Roth said he is in support of the Supreme Court reversing its decision.

“It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Democrats are running to get rid of this law right after significant Republican victories,” Roth said. The writing is on the wall. Hopefully, the Supreme Court will soon reverse their decision and allow us to enact these meaningful work requirements – which again, are meant to help, not hinder, Medicaid recipients.” 

The approved changes made to the State Plan for July 1, 2024, to September 30, 2024, are listed below:

Supplement to Attachment 3.1-A Pages 13a continued (p.9) (SPA 24-0007)

Supplement to Attachment 3.1-A Pages 36 and 36a (SPA 24-0005)

Supplement 1 to Attachment 3.1-A Pages 1-H-1 to 1-H-6 (SPA 24-0004)

Supplement 1 to Attachment 3.1-A Pages 1-I-1 to 1-I-5 (SPA 24-0006)

Supplement 1 to Attachment 3.1-A Pages 1-J-1 to 1-J-5 (SPA 24-0009)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 2c.2 (SPA 24-0010)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 4 (SPA 24-0004)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 4a (SPA 24-0006)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 4b (SPA 24-0009)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 6f (SPA 24-0015)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 9b (SPA 24-0007)

Attachment 4.19-D Section I Page 1 (SPA 24-0012)

Attachment 4.22-B Pages 1 and 2 (SPA 24-0016)

These page changes were made as a result of the approval of:

CSHCS Medical Complexity New TCM (SPA 24-0004)

NEMT clarification (SPA 24-0005)

Integrated Care Coordination with Wraparound TCM (SPA 24-0006)

Parent Support Partner Services (SPA 24-0007)

Recuperative Care TCM (SPA 24-0009)

Incontinence Volume Purchase Contract and Non-Sterile Gloves Rates (SPA 24-0010)

Penalty Policy – Nursing Facilities (SPA 24-0012)

Vaccine Administration Rate (SPA 24-0015)

Paternity Confinement Expenses End (SPA 24-0016)

Medicaid Model Data Lab (MMDL) and MACPro SPAs:

SUD-HH Update (ABP SPA 24-1002)

Recuperative Care TCM (ABP SPA 24-1003)

SUD-HH Update (SPA 24-1501)

Although approved, the MMDL and MACPro SPAs are not currently incorporated into the traditional State Plan. They are submitted and approved using CMS on-line processes and States are awaiting CMS direction as to how these types of SPAs will be incorporated into the State Plan.  The SPA approval packages are or will be very soon available on the website at State Plan Amendments (michigan.gov).

Erin Black, Federal Liaison, blacke@michigan.gov

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 attracts over 400 attendees. We bring together board members, CEOs, COOs, CFOs, medical directors, clinical directors, case workers, supports coordinators, and children’s supervisors from Michigan CMHSPs and Provider Agencies. We also have strong attendance from others within the public mental health and substance use disorder systems.

Come be a part of this conference by showcasing your agency’s successful programs!

These stories, along with the growing list of solutions journalism stories centered around the work of Michigan’s public mental health system, can be found at: https://cmham.org/newsroom/

This partnership, with the Issue Media Group (IMG), is built around the concept of “solutions journalism” – providing news about innovative and concrete ways that communities, across Michigan, are addressing the needs of their residents along a number of dimensions – healthcare, economic development, education, the arts, to name a few. Solutions journalism investigates and explains, in a critical and clear-eyed way, how people try to solve widely shared problems. While news sources and many of us typically define news as “what’s gone wrong,” solutions journalism runs counter to that definition by covering the innovative responses to identified needs and problems.

This partnership ensures that the work of Michigan’s public mental health system is highlighted in IMG’s large suite of solutions journalism-focused publications.

If your organization would like to be a part of this effort, via the purchase of a partnership share and the active participation in the generation of stories for these local and statewide electronic newspapers, contact Bob Sheehan at rsheehan@cmham.org or Paul Schutt at paul@issuemediagroup.com

You can subscribe, at no cost, to these publications, on the websites of each of these publications. The list of partner publications and their websites are provided below:

Second Wave – Michigan
Capital Gains – Lansing
Catalyst Midland
Concentrate – Ann Arbor/Ypsi
Epicenter – Mount Pleasant
Flintside
Metromode – Metro Detroit
Model D
Route Bay City
Rural Innovation Exchange
Second Wave -Southwest Michigan
The Keel – Port Huron
The Lakeshore
Upword – UP

Look for more articles like this over the coming year.

This morning, I was thinking about some of the changes I have seen in the public mental health system in my forty-eight years as a person served. I was trying to decide which change was the most noticeable and had the most positive effect on my life. Was it DBT, changes in how I wrote my PCP, Drop-In Centers or Clubhouses, the closure of sheltered workshops, CBT or something else? While the specific items listed each had a notable impact on my life, it was something else that was the most influential. That change was the introduction of Certified Peer Support Specialists. Master’s Level Social Workers have been and are very important to my treatment and recovery – I would not have survived without their expertise and support. Certain aspects of what I need to grow are out of their realm, however. Exercise classes, money management, writing for recovery, gardening: all enrich my life, and the lives of other persons served, but Social Workers do not provide such services. We depend on Certified Peer Support Specialists for them.

Very few social workers are also persons served. Certified Peer Support Specialists, on the other hand, have, by definition, lived experience with a mental illness. Many continue to deal with behavioral health issues. Unlike the majority of social workers, they can offer suggestions for coping with symptoms that they have actually tried and found to work. They know what it is like to be presented with a diagnosis, to take medications with unpleasant side-effects, and, perhaps, to know what it was like to have to take medications they felt were unnecessary. They have a special relationship with others of us served by the public mental health system because of our shared experiences. Along with that, the Peer Supports are living proof that it is possible to cope with symptoms and the rigors of treatment, and that recovery is possible. When they work with social workers and other clinical staff, we – the persons served – win.

In my CCBHC, Peer Supports meet people one on one to teach interpersonal skills, encourage community engagement, act as emotional supports, help the person served run errands, help with scheduling appointments, make sure the person served keeps appointments, find housing, and fill out paperwork, among other things. They accompany persons served to medical appointments. The Peer Supports lead groups to teach skills such as cooking, money management, and real-life math; various exercise groups; groups to encourage creativity. They put on community events such as the Back to School Bash and the 5-K Walk, Run, Roll,  and many other activities. That is a lot. They are a very important part of the agency.

Certified Peer Support Specialists perform different duties in various areas around the state. I have a few ideas that I would like to see universally employed throughout our public system. I believe some of them are being used already in some places, but I don’t know about the others.

The first two places I would like to see Certified Peer Support Specialists in universal use are mobile crisis units and Emergency Departments when pre-screens for inpatient admissions are being conducted. I believe both of these are practiced in some places. I advocate for Peer Supports in Mobile Crisis Units because the person is in crisis and being surrounded by strangers asking questions and perhaps law enforcement, can be very frightening in the best of times. When in a mental health crisis, the fear is often exaggerated. Having a person there who has been in a similar situation and can understand the feelings of the person everyone is trying to help in a way that only experience can provide, would, I think, often be useful.  I would like to see Peer supports in the ED because, looking back, I would really have liked to have someone who had experienced what I was going through to talk to and to tell me what to expect. Being in an ED with the commotion and noise, doctors, nurses and sometimes the police all milling around and asking personal questions is bewildering at best and frightening otherwise. I would have appreciated having had someone who had been through it available to inform me as to what was happening and what I could expect.

Related to an admission pre-screen is the Assessment for receiving services at a CMH, CCBHC, OHH, or BHH. I do not know whether anyone does this or whether it is allowed, but I would like to see Peer Supports involved in the Assessment processes. The CPSS would be there as a guide. He or she would introduce themselves, welcome the prospective person served to the facility and then describe to the person what is going to happen to them during the assessment. If more than one examiner is involved in the process, the Peer Support would tell the person who they would be seeing and why they had to see more than one person. The Peer Support would also explain that some questions may be asked more than once, that that is necessary, and instruct the person to simply answer the questions to the best of his or her ability. I think this would be helpful to the person being assessed and would possibly reduce some of his or her anxiety, thereby resulting in more consistent answers to questions and better data.

Finally, I think Certified Peer Support Specialists could be useful in the Person-Centered Planning process. I have read a number of my friends PCPs over the years and wondered how in the world they got away with stating their goals as they did. The one that amazed me the most was, “I don’t want to be depressed.” This is not a PCP-worthy goal, in my opinion. None of my friends’ goals were S.M.A.R.T.: Specific, Meaningful, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This is a small sample, but I do not think it is exceptional. I think PCPs would be more effective if people were trained in how to write goals before the day of their PCP. I also think it would be helpful if they, and, if possible, their supports, were asked to think about what they believe ought to be addressed before the day they get together to write the PCP. The CPSS would be responsible for teaching the person served to write S.M.A.R.T. goals, encourage them to consider what they think is important in life and to begin to form aspirations for the coming year or six months, It also would be helpful if the Peer Support could contact the supporters who will be attending the person’s PCP meeting, perhaps via a letter or an email, to explain the PCP process. These actions by the Peer Support Specialist would speed along the actual planning meeting, save the case manager/supports coordinator time, and I hope, result in more meaningful plans.

Certified Peer Support Specialists are a special member of the treatment team, straddling both the world of clinician and person served. I think we should take advantage of all they have to offer.

Weekly Update subscribers can now search for past articles by using the search bar, located in the archives column, next to each week’s publication. This search feature can filter past articles in which the searched word appears. Next time you would like to re-visit a previously published article – give it a try!

As you might have already noticed, the publication of our newsletter will look a little different. We are delighted to introduce a newly designed version of our weekly update email! We’ve revamped our newsletters to make them more user-friendly and accessible. Get the latest news, insights, and updates to our public mental health system with even greater clarity and ease.

With this improved layout, you’ll find it simpler to search for keywords** and to navigate through each publication chronologically. One specific item to note, the creation of these newsletters are now solely constructed and published on the CMHA website. The email blast will now be condensed to only include article titles and a teaser sentence. Each article in the email is linked to the publication on our website where the entire document can be viewed in full. Once on this page, to access the months previous articles, simple follow the linked path located under the main navigation bar.

The Weekly Update home page now includes collapsible headers. To quickly see the previous week’s update just click on that week’s date. To the right, you will see an Archives column that will include all previous month’s editions.

Our goal is to enhance your reading experience while keeping you better informed and making it easier for you to access necessary information and resources. We’re excited for you to experience these enhancements and hope they make your weekly updates more engaging and informative.

**To search for text within a webpage use the “Control Find” keyboard shortcut. Press and hold Ctrl+F on your keyboard to open a search bar.

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.

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.

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.

Meet the Team

CMHA Board of Directors

Contact your Legislators

The approved changes made to the State Plan for July 1, 2024, to September 30, 2024, are listed below:

Supplement to Attachment 3.1-A Pages 13a continued (p.9) (SPA 24-0007)

Supplement to Attachment 3.1-A Pages 36 and 36a (SPA 24-0005)

Supplement 1 to Attachment 3.1-A Pages 1-H-1 to 1-H-6 (SPA 24-0004)

Supplement 1 to Attachment 3.1-A Pages 1-I-1 to 1-I-5 (SPA 24-0006)

Supplement 1 to Attachment 3.1-A Pages 1-J-1 to 1-J-5 (SPA 24-0009)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 2c.2 (SPA 24-0010)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 4 (SPA 24-0004)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 4a (SPA 24-0006)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 4b (SPA 24-0009)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 6f (SPA 24-0015)

Attachment 4.19-B Page 9b (SPA 24-0007)

Attachment 4.19-D Section I Page 1 (SPA 24-0012)

Attachment 4.22-B Pages 1 and 2 (SPA 24-0016)

These page changes were made as a result of the approval of:

CSHCS Medical Complexity New TCM (SPA 24-0004)

NEMT clarification (SPA 24-0005)

Integrated Care Coordination with Wraparound TCM (SPA 24-0006)

Parent Support Partner Services (SPA 24-0007)

Recuperative Care TCM (SPA 24-0009)

Incontinence Volume Purchase Contract and Non-Sterile Gloves Rates (SPA 24-0010)

Penalty Policy – Nursing Facilities (SPA 24-0012)

Vaccine Administration Rate (SPA 24-0015)

Paternity Confinement Expenses End (SPA 24-0016)

Medicaid Model Data Lab (MMDL) and MACPro SPAs:

SUD-HH Update (ABP SPA 24-1002)

Recuperative Care TCM (ABP SPA 24-1003)

SUD-HH Update (SPA 24-1501)

Although approved, the MMDL and MACPro SPAs are not currently incorporated into the traditional State Plan. They are submitted and approved using CMS on-line processes and States are awaiting CMS direction as to how these types of SPAs will be incorporated into the State Plan.  The SPA approval packages are or will be very soon available on the website at State Plan Amendments (michigan.gov).

Erin Black, Federal Liaison, blacke@michigan.gov

Historic Voter Turnout

The November 2024 general election was record setting with 5,666,805 showing up, based on unofficial numbers. That number is 87,488 more voters than voted in 2020. More than 2.2 million absentee ballots were cast, 1.2 million voted in-person early, and more than 2 million voted in person on Tuesday, November 5.

Turnout rose in 74 of 83 counties, and the counties that saw declines were notable as key Democratic voter centers like Wayne, Muskegon, Kent and Kalamazoo counties.

The 37 counties with the largest increases in turnout from 2020 are all Republican-heavy counties, led by Kalkaska (10 percent), Lake, Montmorency and Montcalm (9 percent) and Crawford and Allegan (8 percent). Turnout in key Democratic counties like Kent (-1 percent), Wayne (-2 percent) and Kalamazoo (-4 percent) proved key to President-elect Donald Trump defeating Vice President Kamala Harris. Another key Democratic center, Oakland County, saw almost no change in turnout with only a nominal increase from 2020.

Presidential Race

In Michigan, former President Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris by a little over 80,000 votes and capturing 49.7% of the vote. In a race that spared absolutely no expenses, where the two campaigns spent over $276 million dollars this cycle in Michigan alone. Trump ended up winning 74 of Michigan’s 83 counties. Trump did win or is projected to win most, if not all, of the other significant battle ground states including; Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Nevada. He is also the first Republican presidential candidate since 2004 to win the National Popular Vote.

US Senate Race

Michigan’s U.S. Senate race was an absolute barn-burner with U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin narrowly defeating former U.S. Representative Mike Rogers. Slotkin’s victory continues Michigan Democrats dominance in the U.S. Senate. Slotkin defeated Rogers by roughly 18,000 votes making it one of the closest races in the entire country.  Both parties combined in the Michigan US Senate seat race to spend just over $200 million dollars. The seat currently occupied by democrat Debbie Stabenow, who announced her retirement in the beginning of last year.

US House

There were no shocking results in Michigan’s Congressional races. The 7^th Congressional district was undoubtably impacted by Trump’s success which saw a Democratic seat flip. Below are the results of the races we highlighted in Winds of Change:

• 3^rd Congressional District: Democrat Hillary Scholten defeated Republican Paul Hudson by a margin of 53.5% to 43.8%.
• 7^th Congressional District: Republican Tom Barrett defeated Democrat Curtis Hertel Jr. by a margin of 50.3% to 46.6%. (republican flip)
• 8^th Congressional District: Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet defeated Republican Paul Junge by a margin 51.3% to 44.6%.
• 10^th Congressional District: Republican John James defeated Democrat Carl Marlinga by a margin of 51.1% to 44.9%.

Kristen McDonald-Rivet was the only democrat to pull out a win in Michigan’s toss up congressional seats against her republican opponent in the 8^th Paul Junge. McDonald-Rivet’s win will put the Michigan Senate chamber at a 19-18 democratic majority rather than its current 20-18 majority. A special election (if and when the Governor calls for a special election) in this swing senate seat will likely leave the Michigan Senate at an 19-19 tie, creating an interesting dynamic to watch in the months ahead.

Michigan Supreme Court

The Michigan Supreme Court races were the outlier of the evening, where democrats secured a 5-2 majority on the Michigan Supreme Court, by securing wins for both Justice Kyra Harris Bolden and newcomer Kimberly Ann Thomas. They defeated their Republican opponents Patrick O’Grady and Andrew Fink by significant margins. Last minute spending in these races proved to turn the tide, despite Republican wins across the board, with Harris and Thomas outspending their opponents in paid media by nearly $6 million to $330,000.

Michigan House of Representatives

The Michigan House of Representatives flipped back to Republican control with republicans claiming victory in 58 seats. Despite the sizable difference in spending with House Democrats spending over $50M to Republicans $30M they could not curtail the republican momentum that occurred.

Republicans had an extremely friendly environment in 2024 and they took advantage of it to take back majority after just one legislative session. The state House was expected to be close, but Republicans pounced on four seats held by Democrats and were able to defend all their vulnerable members. Michigan is poised to enter a new era of divided government in 2025, with a Republican House, but Democratic Senate and Governor.

Below is a run-down of the key races from last night’s House election, including the four seats the GOP was able to flip to capture majority:

• 27^th House District: Republican Rylee Linting defeated Democratic incumbent Jamie Churches. (republican flip)
• 44^th House District: Republican Steven Frisbie defeated Democratic incumbent Jim Haadsma. (republican flip)
• 46^th House District: Republican incumbent Kathy Schmaltz defeated Democrat Daniel Mahoney.
• 54^th House District: Republican incumbent Donni Steele defeated Democrat Shadia Martini.
• 58^th House District: Republican Ron Dobinson defeated Democratic incumbent Nate Shannon. (republican flip)
• 103^rd House District: Democratic incumbent Betsy Coffia defeated Republican Lisa Trombley.
• 109^th House District: Republican Karl Bohnak defeated Democratic incumbent Jenn Hill (republican flip)

New House Members

With new term limits where members can serve up to 12 years in a single chamber there are fewer new faces and even some returning faces from legislatures past. Only 13 new members will join the chamber in January with 2 of those members Nancy Arno-Jenkins and Tim Kelly having served in prior terms. Below is the extensive list of “new members” who will help makeup the 103^rd legislature.

• Portage (HD 40) Matt Longjohn (Christine Morse)
• Ann Arbor (HD 33) Morgan Foreman (Felicia Brabec)
• Grand Rapids (HD 81) Stephen Wooden (Rachel Hood)
• Hamtramck (HD 7) Tonya Myers Phillips (Abe Ayiash)
• Hillsdale (HD 35) Jennifer Wortz (Andrew Fink)
• Port Huron (HD 64) Joseph Pavlov (Andrew Beeler)
• Lenawee County (HD 34) Nancy Arno-Jenkins (Dale Zorn)
• Twp (HD 93) Tim Kelly (Graham Filler)
• Petoskey (HD 107) Parker Fairbairn (Neil Friske)
• Marquette (HD 109) Karl Bohnack (Jenn Hill)
• Sterling Heights (HD 58) Ron Robinson (Nate Shannon)
• Downriver (HD 27) Rylee Lingting (Jaime Churches)
• Battle Creek (HD 44) Steve Frisbe (Jim Haadsma)

On Thursday, November 7 the Republican and Democratic legislative caucus’ held meetings to elect their new leadership for the upcoming legislative session. Rep. Matt HALL (R-Richland Township), this term’s minority leader, will take the Speaker’s gavel come January, bringing an end to the first speakership Democrats had since Republicans took control in 2010.

When speaking with reporters, the first thing he mentioned as a priority is to hold session more frequently. “I think that one of the reasons the Democrats lost their majority is because they were too afraid of losing it, and they didn’t have session, and they didn’t take tough votes,” Hall said.

Next, he mentioned establishing a more permanent structure for funding roads by prioritizing it first in the budget and re-dedicating revenue from pork projects. He added that he wouldn’t support a tax increase on gas as an added revenue stream. “Governor Whitmer ran on fixing the roads, so I would hope that she would be willing to work with me to solve this problem,” Hall said.

When it comes time for budget season, Hall said his caucus will be looking at government-funded programs and evaluating their return on investment, and consider eliminating what isn’t working before trying to fund new projects.

The caucus’ education plan that was introduced in September, which includes additional funding for school safety and mental health grants, is another policy he’d like to hit the ground running with in January. 

The House Republican Campaign Committee’s ten-point “Mission for Michigan” is a document Democrats will want to familiarize themselves with, as Hall said the easiest way for bills to make it through the chamber will be to align with those principles. 

Rep. Bryan POSTHUMUS (R-Rockford), who has served as minority floor leader under the Democrats, is set to become majority floor leader in the next legislative session, ending Rep. Abraham AIYASH (D-Hamtramck)’s run as the chamber’s first Muslim majority floor leader.

He said his first priority is to bring back statesmanship and decorum to the House floor. He didn’t mention specific examples from this session that were contrary to those values. Posthumus also mentioned the Mission for Michigan criteria going into the 103rd Legislature. For now, he said he’s hoping lame duck will actually be lame. 

Rep. Rachelle SMIT (R-Shelbyville) was elected to serve as speaker pro tempore. The former municipal clerk has a reputation among the caucus for being efficient without being controversial and making connections, sources tell MIRS.

Reps. Ranjeev PURI (D-Canton) and John FITZGERALD (D-Wyoming) were elected to be minority leader and minority floor leader come January. Puri served as whip under the Democrats’ majority.

“It’s an extremely humbling moment to be selected by your peers. If you ever want a crash course in humility, try calling your peers and asking for a leadership vote on no sleep,” Puri said, immediately mentioning that he and Fitzgerald will do whatever they can to win a majority for their caucus again in 2026.

Puri said he ran a leadership campaign based on elevating the voices of every member of the Democratic caucus. He said he’ll do that by re-envisioning how the caucus is made up and trusting more members to help make decisions. 

Speaking of re-envisioning the caucus, Rep. Carrie A. RHEINGANS (D-Ann Arbor) proposed caucus rule changes received discussion in caucus today, Puri said, but were tabled for discussion at a later date. 

The rule changes are to elect all leadership positions, create a Rules Committee, allow any member to call for a vote of no confidence against a member in leadership, and adopting the Hastert Rule to prevent a bill from being put on the board. The proposed changes would only impact the caucus operations of the majority party, which the Dems no longer have.

But, while the Dems have the gavel for a few more weeks, Puri said he hasn’t become privy to lame duck priorities that will be put forth by Speaker Joe TATE (D-Detroit), who didn’t run for any leadership positions for the minority.

The remainder of leadership positions for Democrats weren’t announced today, given that only the minority leader and minority floor leader are elected by the caucus and the rest are appointed.

Other Republican leadership positions announced include: 

• Rachelle SMIT (R-Shelbyville) for speaker pro tempore
• Jay DEBOYER (R-Clay) for associate speaker pro tempore
• Brian BEGOLE (R-Perry) for assistant majority floor leader
• Mike HARRIS (R-Clarkston) for majority whip
• Joseph A. ARAGONA (R-Clinton Township) for chief deputy whip
• Ken BORTON (R-Gaylord) for caucus chair
• Representative-elect Nancy JENKINS-ARNO for caucus vice chair