Governor Whitmer's FY2025/26 Executive Budget is posted here:

https://www.michigan.gov/budget/-/media/Project/Websites/budget/Fiscal/Executive-Budget/Current-Exec-Rec/FY25-Budget-Book.pdf

The MDHHS department detail begins on page B-33.

@10x25mm, thank you for taking the budget plunge with this post, and kudos to Michigan Advance for the article.

Frankly, Michigan budgets in general and MDHHS budgets in particular make me want to cover my eyes and run screaming for the hills. 

Last year's pork-laden budget bill was over 800 pages long. One could take a deep dive, and seriously risk death by drowning before making it back to the surface.

I suppose it's only fitting that the first department rushing to support the governor's budget is the Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA). Their presser released February 15.

Press Release: Executive Director Hanna Applauds Governor Whitmer’s FY25 Budget Recommendation
To: CRA Stakeholders

LANSING, MI – Today, Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) Executive Director Brian Hanna applauded Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Executive Budget Recommendation, which includes additional support for the agency’s initiatives.

This year’s budget is balanced, fiscally responsible, does not raise taxes on Michiganders, and contains support for key CRA initiatives, including:

Eliminating the monthly subscription fees that licensees currently pay to access the statewide monitoring system
Increased support to combat illicit activity in the cannabis market
Improved enforcement efforts and workload management within the Licensing Division
Reducing wait times for fire safety inspections
“We are excited to continue moving forward with support for our key initiatives, which stakeholders have indicated are important for a thriving and growing cannabis market,” said Hanna. “By removing the burden and cost of the monthly subscription to the statewide monitoring system, the CRA is investing in the stability and long-term success of the legal market. Increased support for combating illicit activity, improving enforcement efforts, and increasing safety with fire inspections will help us continue to support our state’s licensed businesses.”

“We applaud Governor Whitmer for putting forward a comprehensive budget for our program that will address a number of urgent requests from our members,” said Robin Schneider, executive director of the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association (MiCIA). “The budget contains several important allocations that will increase safety, reduce businesses’ regulatory costs, and increase profitability for law abiding operators by increasing enforcement against illicit activity in our market. As we work toward the continued improvement of our industry, we appreciate the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency’s willingness to listen to our concerns and take action to address them.”

Ups and adds take the proposed Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics funding to about $ 250 million:

https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/inside-mdhhs/newsroom/2024/02/22/ccbhc

Nearly $250 million included in FY25 budget to expand access to behavioral health services for Michigan families

February 22, 2024

Over $193 million in funding for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics

LANSING, Mich. – As part of the state’s continued commitment to expanding access to behavioral health services for Michigan families, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s FY2025 budget proposal includes $193.3 million to strengthen Michigan’s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) demonstration program.

Funds will be used to expand the number of CCBHC sites and establish more robust support, as well as oversight and monitoring, for Michigan’s Medicaid CCBHC demonstration. CCBHCs are non-profit or local government agencies that are federally required to provide nine comprehensive behavioral health services, including 24/7 mobile crisis response and medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders. 

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director Elizabeth Hertel visited with Network 180, a Community Mental Health Authority that includes a CCBHC site in Kent County, Thursday, Feb. 22.

 “The CCBHC model increases access to numerous behavioral health services by serving all individuals with a behavioral health diagnosis, regardless of insurance or ability to pay,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. “The CCBHC model has been shown to substantially increase access to care, advance the coordination of physical and behavioral health, strengthen community partnerships, address health inequities and improve the quality of behavioral health services.”

The FY25 budget proposal will support expanded access to behavioral health supports and services for up to 50,000 additional Michigan residents. There are currently 30 CCBHCs in Michigan’s Medicaid demonstration project, as well as several additional provider organizations currently receiving federal grant funding to establish clinics and provide CCBHC services.

In FY23, 13 Medicaid-funded CCBHCs provided services to approximately 75,000 unique individuals across Michigan. Approximately 30% of individuals served were children and young adults ages 0 to 21 and 70% were adults.

Additional budget recommendations include funding to increase access to behavioral health services through direct program capacity enhancements, a managed care rate increase for behavioral health services, incentives to build a pipeline of qualified providers and ongoing resource support for people experiencing behavioral health crises.

• $36.1 million to increase rates for behavioral health services provided through Medicaid health plans.
• $8.3 million to establish Medicaid reimbursement for peer provided substance use disorder services.
• $7.3 million for the Michigan Crisis and Access Line to ensure structural ongoing support for services currently provided to individuals experiencing behavioral health crises.
• $4 million to enhance gambling prevention and treatment services including residential gambling treatment, recovery support services, youth education and prevention services, research and evaluation, provider training, a media campaign and the problem gambling hotline.