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Bay County commissioners oppose proposed MDHHS behavioral-health procurement plan
Summary
A county mental-health representative urged the board to adopt a resolution opposing a state procurement to move local behavioral-health funds to large regional contractors; commissioners approved a resolution opposing the MDHHS plan.
A representative identified in the meeting as Chris addressed the Bay County Board of Commissioners on July 15 to urge opposition to a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services procurement plan that would consolidate management of behavioral-health funds into large regional contracts.
Chris told commissioners the department's plan would centralize management, reduce the number of regional entities and, in his view, remove local accountability. "The Department of Health and Human Services has decided they wanna upend 63 years of practice between the state and the county, and they wanna bring in a commercial entity to manage the local mental health funds," he said.
He said the proposed procurement conflicts with existing state law that created county-based community mental health programs and required local governance and local accountability for services to people with severe mental illness and disabilities. He warned that moving funds and management away from locally governed entities risks reducing services and leaving counties with the consequences because people in need remain in the county. He also criticized proposed geographic reassignments that would concentrate money and decision-making in larger regions.
Commissioner comments during the discussion emphasized accountability and local oversight. A motion to adopt a county resolution opposing the MDHHS procurement plan passed by voice vote. Commissioners directed that copies of the resolution be sent to the county's legislative delegation and the governor's office.
