Northern Lakes CMH Faces Crisis as State Cuts Eliminate FAST Team Services

The Michigan Legislature's Oversight Committee convened on July 15, 2025, to address pressing issues surrounding public health and food security, with a significant focus on mental health services in Northern Michigan. The meeting featured testimony from a licensed professional counselor who highlighted the critical impact of recent state budget cuts on community mental health services.

The counselor, who has a decade of experience in the field, detailed their role as the clinical supervisor of the behavioral health department at Child and Family Services. They expressed deep concern over the dissolution of the Family Assessment and Safety Team (FAST), which has provided essential emergency mental health evaluations across six counties: Leelanau, Grand Traverse, Wexford, Mesick, Crawford, and Roscommon. The FAST team’s closure has resulted in nearly 40 layoffs at Northern Lakes Community Mental Health, significantly affecting local mental health support.

The counselor emphasized that without FAST, families facing mental health crises would be forced to seek help at already overwhelmed emergency rooms (ERs). They noted that many children who visit ERs do not meet the criteria for hospitalization, leading to prolonged waits and inadequate care. The counselor pointed out that the lack of available psychiatric beds often results in children being sent hours away for treatment, complicating family involvement in their recovery.

The testimony underscored the importance of family participation in mental health treatment, stating that children benefit significantly when their parents are involved in counseling sessions. The counselor warned that the absence of community-based services like FAST would exacerbate the existing mental health crisis in Northern Michigan, where local ERs are ill-equipped to handle such situations.

The meeting concluded with a call to action for lawmakers to reconsider funding for mental health services, as the current cuts threaten to dismantle vital support systems for families in crisis. The counselor's testimony served as a stark reminder of the challenges facing mental health care in rural areas and the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to address these growing concerns.