New federal funding initiative aims at expanding access to mental health services

Oct. 14—HOLLAND — More than 30 Certified Community Behavorial Health Clinics in Michigan will become eligible to provide mental health services for residents through Medicaid, something state officials say will help bridge a gap in needed mental health treatment.

In total, 33 clinics around the state will be reimbursed for the full cost of mental health treatment through Medicaid for eligible residents, just as physical health care centers are. The initiative is made possible through $26.5 million in state and federal funding administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, said since CCBHCs have to meet certain federal standards to be eligible for the funding, those in need of mental health services will be able to receive adequate treatment.

"In our country, we haven't been funding mental health and addiction treatment as healthcare," she said during a Wednesday morning Zoom conference announcing the initiative. "For too long, we've said health care above the neck is treated differently than health care below the neck."

Services provided by these clinics include 24/7/365 crisis services; outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment services; immediate screenings, risk assessments, and diagnoses; and care coordination with emergency rooms, law enforcement, and veteran groups.

Per Stabenow's office, Michigan has received $135 million in funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration since 2018. This funding has gone toward funding CCHBCs throughout the state. Ottawa County'sCommunity Mental Health Clinic is among those eligible through the new initiative.

By making mental health services Medicaid-eligible, officials believe the new initiative can remove an obstacle for residents in need of treatment.

"This is a historic day, frankly, to how we can take the next step in this fight to expand access to quality health care, and for behavioral and mental health care specifically for people across the state of Michigan," said Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist. "For years ... mental health was treated differently, it was treated as a second class issue among healthcare. There were disparities in terms of who could access mental health services, who could afford mental health services."

Last year, Michigan became one of two states to participate in the initiative.

— Contact Arpan Lobo at alobo@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @arpanlobo.

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