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Monroe County commission adopts resolution opposing MDHHS plan to rebid behavioral-health management
Summary
The board unanimously approved a resolution urging the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to withdraw a request for proposals that would rebid management of Medicaid behavioral-health services (PIHPs); Monroe Community Mental Health Authority leaders warned the change would shift local control and raise administrative costs.
Monroe County commissioners voted to adopt a resolution opposing a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) request for proposals to rebid the state's prepaid inpatient health plan (PIHP) regions. The resolution, requested by Monroe Community Mental Health Authority (CMH) leadership, was supported unanimously by the board.
Presentation: Lisa Graham, CEO of Monroe Community Mental Health Authority, told the board that the MDHHS RFP would redesign the PIHP system and reduce local control over how public behavioral-health Medicaid funds are used. Graham said the current county-based system allows local CMH boards to set priorities and that the proposed procurement would shift decision-making for more than 90% of funding to potentially commercial entities with less local accountability. She said current PIHP overhead is roughly 2% compared with about 15% for commercial insurers and that the proposed consolidation could make Monroe part of a larger region representing dozens of counties.
Board action: Commissioner Moore moved to adopt the resolution; Commissioner Huffman supported the motion. The board voted on a roll call; all recorded commissioners voted in favor and the motion carried.
Why it matters: CMH leaders and county officials argued the change could remove local oversight, reduce responsiveness to community needs (including jail and peer-support services), and increase administrative costs. The resolution asks MDHHS to withdraw the RFP and to engage counties, providers, people served and advocacy groups in any system redesign.
Next steps: The county clerk will circulate the adopted resolution to the state and to other stakeholders identified in the resolution. Monroe CMH and other counties had already circulated a joint open letter asking the governor and legislature to pause the process and develop a collaborative redesign.
