Lifeways reports Hillsdale site secured, outlines crisis‑response expansion

Marybeth, director of Lifeways, told the Jackson County Human Services Committee that Lifeways has secured a property in Hillsdale and is evaluating stacked financing options for a new facility, including commercial lending, tax credit strategies and possible federal appropriations; depending on results, Lifeways may seek county bond support.

The acquisition comes as Lifeways and other public mental health providers face revenue and eligibility pressure linked to Medicaid redeterminations after the end of the public health emergency. "Individuals on Medicaid had to be redetermined for eligibility," Marybeth said, and the organization estimates a loss in the region on the order of about 100,000 people who previously had Medicaid eligibility. She added that demand for services has not fallen commensurately, creating funding challenges.

David Rowe, Lifeways' executive director for crisis and access services, described operational steps to expand mobile crisis coverage across Jackson County. The agency is centralizing dispatch in a planned "crisis hub" to route callers directly to Lifeways staff rather than through outside call centers. Rowe said the goal is to expedite on‑site mobile responses—within an hour inside city limits—and ultimately to "absorb 100% of crisis callers" into the county hub. He also said Lifeways has embedded crisis intervention team (CIT) clinicians with local law enforcement and extended CIT coverage after hours to support co‑response, which the agency reports has reduced violent outcomes.

A commissioner asked whether the crisis expansion would cover the entire county or only city partners; Marybeth said the program includes co‑response with the sheriff's office and partnerships are expanding beyond the city, noting the city is currently covering the embedded clinician's cost for the initial placement.

The committee moved to receive the Lifeways quarterly report; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.