New Meetings:

There are no new affinity group meetings for families scheduled at this time. 

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is asking families of children and youth with serious mental health challenges, people with mental illness, persons with developmental or intellectual disabilities, or substance use disorder and their family members to come and share what they need in a mental health service system. This is a great opportunity to come and share what is important to your child and family.

These meetings are a follow-up to the Lieutenant Governor’s workgroup regarding the Section 298  of Michigan’s fiscal year 2017 budget proposal which included boilerplate language about mental health reform that included shifting Medicaid funding for public mental health services away from community mental health agencies and shifting it to private HMO’s. The boilerplate was changed, but MDHHS needs to write a report to Legislators about suggestions for improving the service system. ACMH, other advocate organizations, community mental health leaders and concerned citizens have been working tirelessly to express their concerns about Section 298 and now we need to hear from you!

In order to gather information from the most important group, those who use mental health services, MDHHS and others created a survey and will be hosting group meetings to ask people the survey questions. To view the survey questions click here: affinity-group-questions-for-eligible-populations-and-families.

To view background about the Affinity Group Meeting process download the following document: background-information-for-affinity-group.

Meetings are currently scheduled for:

These meetings are a great opportunity for you to share what is important to you and your family as our state looks better administer and fund more and better mental health services.

If you have questions about this process feel free to contact ACMH Executive Director, Jane Shank, by phone at 231-383-1595 or by e-mail at [email protected].

If you are interested in learning more a link to the original 298 workgroup final report is included below for your convenience as well as other supporting information.

behavioral_health_section_298_final_report_7-15-16_531073_7_535662_7

To view background information from MDHHS about Section 298 click here or download the following document: background-information-for-affinity-group

Click here to view a back-to-school message from Lieutenant Governor Calley about the importance of being inclusive!

Click here to read the Michigan Juvenile Justice Collaborative’s June 2016 Youth Justice News and catch up on the latest in Juvenile Justice in Michigan.

The Michigan Juvenile Justice Collaborative is a project of the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency.

Take a moment to check out this spring’s edition of the Exchange Michigan Protection and Advocacy’s newsletter. This edition is packed with articles we think you might find useful including: information about the introduction of House Bills designed to address Seclusion and Restraint in Michigan; A parent’s story  of having the courage to speak up and advocate for her child; and information about how to access behavior supports, transition services, and Michigan’s educational complaint system.

Click the link below to download Michigan Protection & Advocacy’s Spring 2016 Newsletter today! mpas_exchange_spring_2016_0

Or click here to visit Michigan Protection and Advocacy Services Website to learn more.

Tomorrow, the Michigan House of Representatives will vote on a package of bills aimed at reducing the number of young people exposed to the dangers of adult jails and prisons. To learn more click here to visit Raise the Age Michigan’s website.

If you are interested in sharing your views with your legislator before tomorrow’s vote contact your representative today! You can click here to do an online search for your legislator.

The Governor’s Special Ed Reform Task Force Final Report is now publicly available and can be downloaded by clicking here. Please take a look and share the information with others as this report will guide much of the work of the Michigan Department of Education work over the next few years.

In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that youth sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole have the right to an eventual parole hearing. The ruling in Montgomery v. Louisiana, clarifies the court’s landmark 2012 ruling, Miller v. Alabama, in which the court barred mandatory sentences of life without parole for youth.

To read the complete Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency news brief or to learn more click here.

Click here to visit the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services website to learn more or to view a copy of the complete §1115 waiver, stakeholder notice and waiver summary.  Comments will be accepted until February 2, 2016.