[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6222574,"mediaKeyId","3598226-0d094ce7f37057fca203498bd8681a63","parentId",3598226,"title","Committee hears bills to add advocates to recipients-rights advisory panel and require written rights notices for voluntary psychiatric patients","audioSeconds",368,"startMs",336000,"endMs",704000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3598226-0d094ce7f37057fca203498bd8681a63&start=336&end=704","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3598226-0d094ce7f37057fca203498bd8681a63/thumbnail_336000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6222574/Michigan/Committee-hears-bills-to-add-advocates-to-recipients-rights-advisory-panel-and-require-written-rights-notices-for-voluntary-psychiatric-patients","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222574-b62bf8663b55d12ad1f01855749c76f5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770488728&Signature=l32PJnmTg8f74y~tWX5nxPkS7DH-FgAnqGN9kt4~K1Uz0RUrH1jMHT5959a73Hpkkb2wuWytEbKbepEoXdp3dcNLCtI8sVK3KkxlhtLArcM7HPwoguxazX~hxTVVa682nMMqJjMSzq7GGXa-eT99bTc-BmGHwtJLtYKkPonPtY-gAs0AFo0airmZNfOcJGPGLzTXc4LATQT32mlxR~kZLMtQ3f5rTk5lQ4-Q0NLUsQI74MH~SbamnuLlYOWaEyqtPvUpK7J~Fp7lFZ4BHoj901PQPkYcsHlxzR6XVhbSJRWKtWs04edXnfoiXoHUMuptsZ-D7jTVVSH4SBTaCPRuxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Michigan House of Representatives","date","2025-05-21T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Thompson introduced House Bills 4218 and 4219 to the House Health Policy Committee, saying the measures respond to an ongoing Auditor General investigation and aim to strengthen oversight of patient protections in psychiatric care.

Thompson said HB4218 would add Disability Rights Michigan, The Arc of Michigan and the Mental Health Association in Michigan as permanent members of the Recipient Rights Advisory Committee within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). \"Recipient rights. The patient is the recipient of that care. Therefore, we must have transparency and oversight,\" Thompson said, adding the bill would prohibit MDHHS executive office staff from serving on the advisory committee.

Mary Anne Huff of the Mental Health Association in Michigan and Simon Zagada of Disability Rights Michigan testified in support. Huff described the association's long history of working to ensure quality treatment and said HB4219 is needed because some voluntarily hospitalized patients currently do not receive formal written notice of their rights. \"This is why particularly House Bill 4219, which gives formal voluntary individuals ... written notice of their rights because that wasn't happening,\" Huff said.

Simon Zagada, director of the community and institutional rights team at Disability Rights Michigan, said written notice plus oral explanation would reduce confusion at the moment of crisis and remove a barrier to care. \"It's hard to remember verbal information. That's why ... they should get it on paper,\" Zagada testified. He described the existing process in Michigan law that requires voluntary patients who wish to leave to sign an \"intent to terminate treatment\" form and said the proposed written notice would make the process clearer.

Committee members asked how the bills would affect clinical decisionmaking and patient safety. Thompson and Zagada said the bills would not change clinical safeguards or the statutory processes for involuntary hospitalization. Zagada explained the current process: after a voluntary patient signs an intent-to-terminate form, the hospital has 72 hours to evaluate whether to discharge the patient or, if the physician disagrees, begin probate court proceedings.

Members also raised accessibility questions for patients who are incoherent or otherwise unable to read or sign documents. Thompson and Huff said the bills require written notice but that hospitals must provide accessible formats or oral explanation when needed so the notice is not merely a paper on a chart.

The committee read into the record a set of supporting and not-wishing-to-speak cards from additional organizations, including the Michigan Association of Health Plans and The Arc of Michigan. No committee votes on the bills were recorded during the hearing portion in the transcript.

The committee moved on after testimony; representatives thanked testifiers and noted the bills respond to complaints that have been raised with legislative offices and advocacy groups.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Health Policy | Wednesday, May 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Thompson introduced House Bills 4218 and 4219, saying they respond to an Auditor General investigation and would add disability and advocacy organizations to MDHHS's Recipient Rights Advisory Committee and require written notice of rights for voluntarily hospitalized psychiatric patients.","taxTitle","Health Policy, House of Representative, Committees\t\t\t\t\t, Legislative, Michigan","taxId",27466,"location","Michigan","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6222565,"Committee adopts H-1 substitutes and an amendment to expand patient access to audit of who accessed health records; bills reported to floor",108,3210000,3318000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3598226-0d094ce7f37057fca203498bd8681a63&start=3210&end=3318","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3598226-0d094ce7f37057fca203498bd8681a63/thumbnail_3210000.jpg","/articles/6222565/Michigan/Committee-adopts-H-1-substitutes-and-an-amendment-to-expand-patient-access-to-audit-of-who-accessed-health-records-bills-reported-to-floor","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222565-fdb1ee3c198a68077ec5cfe5e8b38ae5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770488728&Signature=glGymrzJ~EzxaqP9Kj9ndjnDZFz6yUvNL9FJI7wIJ8P82axazVpvfFV3HhTEhIHTzXOECm9g9a4ZXNG~VcSVpKunkAPmHlydvDhdZkcLkSGl1zn4M4jSV656ygHbIdo0wkRwyo~fwXDu~bdinF1euB5BvfQ~nMBZfquf6eB15vRrlE56OMGjs4R-e81PUiIIJd3dqWlvycvgE6X0rnSQUOcwNeoSZK~gekAOl0cee9-8VZ0WbRAdVBNxhjh4f9k4inP0613EzBk~uyD7Kkldtxn88WLOjYbwM3nOPCSfw1fem-AAqaxCDHnPZkBz5GUgOrCJtKbl4IXm8cps76bfDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Health Policy Committee voted to adopt H-1 substitute language for House Bill 4037 and House Bill 4038 and approved a transparency amendment by Representative Preston that would allow patients to request a six-year access history from the health data utility.

Representative Miermann moved to adopt the H-1 substitute for HB4037; the clerk recorded a roll call and the substitute passed on the floor of the committee with a 14-0 tally. Representative Preston offered an amendment to add a transparency provision allowing patients to query the health data utility for all entities that accessed their information during a six-year period upon request; the amendment was adopted by roll call (final count recorded as 14-0). Representative Tisdell then moved to report HB4037 to the House floor with the committee's recommendation; the clerk recorded 12 ayes, 0 nays and 2 passes and the motion prevailed.

For House Bill 4038, Representative DeBoer moved to adopt the H-1 substitute; the clerk recorded the roll call and the substitute was adopted. Representative Bierlein moved to report HB4038 to the House floor with recommendation; the clerk recorded 12 ayes, 0 nays, and 2 passes and the motion prevailed.

Committee members described the H-1 substitutes as incorporating department correspondence. Representative Preston described the transparency amendment as \"adding a transparency aspect ... where the patient will be able to make a query to the health data utility, basically disclosing all entities that have accessed their information for a period of 6 years upon request.\" The amendment language as adopted establishes that patients can request that access history; the transcript records the roll-call approval but does not show subsequent floor action.

The committee adjourned after reporting both bills to the floor; members noted travel delays for some representatives and cautioned attendees about weather and road conditions.","The House Health Policy Committee adopted H-1 substitutes for House Bills 4037 and 4038, approved an amendment requiring patients to be able to query a health data utility for entities that accessed their records over a six-year period, and reported both bills to the House floor with committee recommendation.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6222569,"Committee hears bill to limit mental-health questions on health professional license forms",583,1771000,2354000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3598226-0d094ce7f37057fca203498bd8681a63&start=1771&end=2354","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3598226-0d094ce7f37057fca203498bd8681a63/thumbnail_1771000.jpg","/articles/6222569/Michigan/Committee-hears-bill-to-limit-mental-health-questions-on-health-professional-license-forms","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222569-153b79cfa9e4fe9833961017e4fef7fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770488728&Signature=DaX2worWUqd5JLbtr5grbG1tJhNLWQF9UoxBzQapd88BRMQk4uWt5p561gXwfsiqHMwpGjECzhMxMCCGX9ITrd29lazJqeOuPCZ0FOt1CNdEo7sI5drEW1IdPB-GgwpK51vG3nZRcYA2dJkFxH2gB69jOMKI0AC-JctLH5GTXbvfheYzwFVSZ141mMRGN9RKqMSBi2jeENE4rtLy3UU50SELJlkJIRri9q82mgeInMk00y~zjR29KPmePY5RRDrGr9s7AnBRNvGgDnld9BC3NXRta4nHDgysr443VH6HR87kJxBwZKXGv3l2nGVxsYf2RgRrXNZnKrK8aRfudkHv6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Bierlein presented House Bill 4277 to the House Health Policy Committee, saying the bill would limit licensure and renewal application questions to two narrowly drawn items about current risk and ability to perform essential functions.

Bierlein said overly intrusive questions on some states' applications have discouraged clinicians from seeking mental health care and that HB4277 seeks to prevent that outcome in Michigan. \"These questions ... have actually discouraged medical professionals from seeking the mental health care they need,\" Bierlein said. He clarified that such invasive questions are not currently on Michigan's applications and described the bill as a preemptive statutory protection.

Dr. Brittany Taylor, who identified herself as a double-boarded internist and pediatrician practicing in Flint, testified in support on the grounds of physician well-being and patient safety. Taylor cited high rates of depression and suicide among physicians and said ambiguity in licensing or credentialing questions can deter clinicians from accessing care. \"Physicians need to know they're protected not just now, but in the future,\" Taylor said, urging codification of current practice.

Dr. Stephanie Simons, chief medical officer for the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation, also testified in support. Simons described Lorna Breen's case and said codifying removal of mental-health history questions increases transparency for licensees and can improve workforce retention. She cited an example from another state where changing licensing language and public communication increased self-reporting for mental-health care.

Committee members asked whether the bill would leave checks in place to protect patient safety. Simons and Taylor said HB4277 preserves questions aimed at current impairment and ability to perform essential functions, and pointed to existing monitoring programs and hospital credentialing and oversight that address impaired practitioners. Simons noted state professional health programs and employer resources that can monitor and treat impaired health care workers.

The committee read submitted cards from multiple professional associations expressing positions; no committee vote on HB4277 is recorded in the transcript excerpt.","House Bill 4277 would amend the public health code to restrict licensing questions to current fitness-to-practice items and bar look‑back mental‑health diagnosis/treatment queries; proponents said the change would reduce stigma and encourage clinicians to seek care without endangering patient safety.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears bills to add advocates to recipients-rights advisory panel and require written rights notices for voluntary psychiatric patients

Committee adopts H-1 substitutes and an amendment to expand patient access to audit of who accessed health records; bills reported to floor

Committee hears bill to limit mental-health questions on health professional license forms