Kate Dahlstrom advocates for increased mental health beds in Northern Michigan

In a poignant plea for urgent action, Kate Dahlstrom, a representative from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, addressed the Michigan Legislature's Subcommittee on Public Health and Food Security on May 20, 2025. Speaking from Traverse City, she highlighted a critical shortage of mental health resources in Northern Michigan, particularly the alarming lack of inpatient beds for children and adults.

Dahlstrom painted a stark picture of the mental health crisis in the region, revealing that the number of psychiatric beds has plummeted from over 22,000 in 1955 to just 3,000 today. This includes a mere 600 state hospital beds, with Northern Michigan facing an especially dire situation—zero beds available for youth in crisis. "Our children are way underserved," she emphasized, referencing the tragic rise in youth suicides and the urgent need for immediate intervention.

The subcommittee listened intently as Dahlstrom detailed the challenges families face when seeking help for their loved ones. She recounted the harrowing experience of parents who, in moments of desperation, turn to emergency departments only to find inadequate resources and long wait times for mental health services. "We've had kids board in our emergency department for a month," she lamented, describing the sterile and unwelcoming environment that fails to provide the necessary care.

Dahlstrom also criticized the current system's reliance on emergency care rather than proactive treatment, arguing that many individuals end up on Medicaid after losing their jobs due to untreated mental health issues. She urged the committee to consider the broader implications of this crisis, noting that without sufficient inpatient care, many individuals are funneled into the criminal justice system instead.

In her closing remarks, Dahlstrom called for a reevaluation of mental health funding and resources, advocating for a proposal submitted over a year ago that seeks to increase the number of inpatient beds in Northern Michigan. "Michigan has to do better," she asserted, leaving the committee with a powerful reminder of the lives at stake and the urgent need for action to address the mental health crisis in the state.