March 11, 2016
Workgroup developing budget boilerplate related to mental health funding
Friday, March 11, 2016
LANSING, Mich. –Lt. Gov. Brian Calley has convened a group of stakeholders to work on increasing service levels and improving the effectiveness of Michigan’s behavioral healthcare system after hearing concerns about how mental health funding was addressed in the Fiscal Year 2017 budget recommendations.
The workgroup includes statewide mental health advocates, consumers, parents, administrators and health care providers. Calley has asked the group to enhance, improve and better integrate the state’s systems of care, with consumer needs as the focus.
Calley testified Feb. 29 before a state legislative appropriations committee on this issue, saying budget language needs to be replaced to enhance how behavioral health care is provided in Michigan.
“The focus of much of my work is on finding ways to enhance services and support for people with a mental illness, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and substance use disorders,” Calley said. “This workgroup is taking the boilerplate language that drew concerns off the table and starting from scratch. Together we are engaging in thoughtful discussions on how we can reimagine and reinvent the statewide behavioral health system in which we invest $2.4 billion dollars annually.”
One of the group’s main goals is to replace the original Section 298 budget language that drew concerns with a consensus proposal from this workgroup. The group held its first meeting and a subcommittee is now working to establish a set of facts from which the group can work.
Calley also asked for the Community Mental Health Association, health plans and other stakeholders to come to the table with the goals of 1) increasing the amount of resources that make it to services for consumers and 2) achieving better integration of physical and behavioral healthcare.
The workgroup is expected to develop replacement budget language for next two months and then report back to the legislative committees in time to approve the budget.
As lieutenant governor, Calley continues to work to improve Michigan’s systems of care for everyone. In addition to leading this workgroup, he has chaired the Mental Health and Wellness Commission, Diversion Council, Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Task Force, and the Special Education Reform Task Force. He is also leading reforms to transform the state government into a model employer in hiring talented people with disabilities.
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