Here’s this month’s edition of “5 Things We’re Watching” on the Michigan public health landscape, including some of the laws we’re watching, new data and recommendations from MDHHS on rising opioid overdose rates, and information on government procurement for children in the crisis stabilization provider.
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Eli Kirschbaum
state of reform
1. Major healthcare bills on the move
A bill to cover certain telemedicine services under the Medical Assistance Program and the Healthy Michigan program moved to the Senate last week, where it now awaits a vote. It would require the medical assistance program and HMP to authorize as many types of remote healthcare providers as possible to provide telemedicine services, and it would also require coverage for audio-only telemedicine services. MHA said this bill “…would continue virtual care guidelines that have proven effective and safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
A bill that would ban health care providers from caring for minors without parental consent passed the House of Representatives last week by a vote of 58 to 21. The MHA said they will oppose further action against the legislation and are concerned about “…how the new language could affect patient care”. Other ongoing legislation we’re keeping an eye on are SB 811, which aims to increase the state’s licensed speech-language pathologists, and SB 450, which would ban the state from preventing hospital visits longer than 30 days.
2. New health legislation introduced
Rep. Sarah Lightner recently introduced legislation that would clarify licensing requirements and operating standards for supplemental nursing service agencies in the state. The bill would require SNSAs to provide information on all individuals with ownership interests in the agency and create a plan to keep records of their activities, which will be made available to the MDHSS. It would also require SNSA nurses to meet all applicable licensing requirements for a particular position and prevent SNSAs from restricting employment opportunities for them.
Another recently introduced bill would allow certain rural emergency hospitals to apply for the temporary de-licensing of their beds in order to obtain rural emergency hospital status. The REH designation allows these facilities to receive enhanced federal financial support for the provision of outpatient and emergency services.
3. What They’re Watching: Scott Monteith, Beacon Health Options
In this installment of our What They’re Watching series, Scott Monteith, former Regional Medical Director for Beacon Health Options, said one of his top priorities is integrating physical and behavioral health care. He also said he is focused on promoting value-based payment models and supporting information technology integration, credential processing and other tasks that come with care integration.
He added that Beacon has been working with the state on its approach to behavioral health policy. “The state is going through a process to determine what efforts it will make in the area of behavioral health, and we look forward to supporting the behavioral health decisions that the people of Michigan are making.”
4. Fentanyl-spiked cocaine overdoses on the rise
New data from MDHHS shows that responders’ responses to fentanyl-spiked cocaine overdoses in 2021 were 33% higher than in 2020. MDHHS also found that the rate of multiple opioid overdoses for which responders responded to more than bumping into a person who has overdosed arriving at a crime scene – have increased in the last year. The number of cases of multiple opioid overdoses with cocaine increased from 20.5% in 2021 to 30.2% in April 2022.
To mitigate this rising number of opioid-related deaths, MDHHS recommends organizations raise awareness of the danger of fentanyl-spiked cocaine and provide education about overdose symptoms and the use of naloxone to reverse them. The department also encourages the promotion of harm reduction messages, increased availability of fentanyl test strips, and expansion of the state’s Leave Behind Naloxone EMS program.
5. MDHHS provides child crisis stabilizers
Applications for the MI Kids Now Mobile Response Grant Program are currently open until October 10th. The RFP will procure community mental health programs that provide mobile crisis response teams for youth in crisis situations and draws on funding for intensive child crisis stabilization services allocated from the FY2023 budget.
“Awarding these grants will allow Community Mental Health Service Programs (CMHSPs) to build staffing levels at the local level and increase access to this service,” MDHHS told State of Reform. “…MDHHS responds to the needs of children, youth and families by increasing access to mobile support services as part of the establishment of a broader continuum of crisis services.” The funding period runs from January 1, 2023 to September 30, 2023 and represents the Up to $200,000 available to award winners.
