As mental health needs rise across Michigan, state officials, health care providers, and community organizations are focusing on expanding the continuum of care for people in crisis. This continuum aims to ensure that everyone experiencing a mental health crisis can access support quickly from initial intervention to long-term recovery resources. Experts and providers across the state agree that while some progress has been made, gaps in access and quality persist, revealing the urgent need for a more comprehensive, coordinated approach to crisis care.
Bridging gaps with community-based services
The
University of Michigan Center for Health Transformation (CHRT) has been at the forefront of identifying these needs. A
recent report from CHRT, written by
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Nancy Baumexperts Nailah Henry, Holly Quivera Teague, and Nancy Baum, underscores the growing demand for crisis services that meet people where they are. According to CHRT, Michiganders require an array of crisis services that not only address immediate needs but also build a bridge to further care and support.
“Michigan’s most urgent needs begin with everybody being covered with some kind of health insurance that has behavioral health benefits, with insurers meeting the
parity requirements. We also need an as strong and well supported behavioral health workforce as we can get,” says Nancy Baum.
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Nailah HenryThe report found that accessible, community-based crisis options can reduce strain on emergency rooms while providing more appropriate care for those in crisis.
“There are millions of people in Michigan who are in areas of the state that are deeply affected by behavioral health workforce shortages, so a lot of people are at risk of not getting what they need, especially those people in rural areas that lack nearby facilities or psychiatrists for immediate mental health care, leading to delays that can worsen crises,” says Baum.
CHRT’s report suggests that strategically placed, mobile crisis response teams could serve as an accessible resource in these areas, potentially preventing crises from escalating.
"Part of the challenge is ensuring that all communities, particularly rural and underserved areas, have equal access to these resources," says Henry.
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Telehealth support and community paramedics have emerged as critical tools in providing immediate crisis care.
Innovative solutions: telehealth and paramedics
To understand how crisis response looks on the ground,
LifeWays, a behavioral health organization serving Jackson and Hillsdale counties, provides an essential view into the region's response capabilities. LifeWays is responsible for connecting people with crisis care when they need it, whether through a helpline, in-person intervention, or a referral to ongoing treatment.
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Jessica Tucelli“We really try to meet people where they are at in both the metaphorical and literal sense. We have a mobile crisis team who can respond to the community within our counties, respond to schools, homes, really anywhere we can safely navigate. When safety is a concern we can and do partner with law enforcement, even having a clinician posted with the police full time who is able to co-respond to individuals in mental health crisis,” says Jessica Tucelli, LifeWays director of access services. "We also have staff in our offices to meet with individuals who come in and have extended hours and staffing in Jackson to continue to offer 24/7 community response."
Baum emphasizes how telehealth support and community paramedics have emerged as critical tools in providing immediate crisis care. Telehealth allows individuals to connect with mental health professionals in real time, reducing delays in access to care, while community paramedics offer on-site interventions that help stabilize crises before escalation. These approaches not only enhance the speed of intervention but also provide more tailored support that addresses the unique needs of individuals in crisis.
LifeWays has helped to reduce emergency room visits by offering direct referrals to community mental health services, which can provide a more tailored response for individuals experiencing acute mental health needs.
However, not all regions in Michigan have access to this level of service. LifeWays acknowledges that while they have made strides in some areas, other parts of the state still need expanded options.
“We will always work with our communities to make sure we are meeting the needs, though this can certainly be a moving target, and there are always ways we can expand. As new needs emerge, and we are able to examine trends, we will continue to work to offer services and support to meet those needs,” says Tucelli.
By expanding the continuum of care across more regions, organizations like LifeWays hope to build a more consistent, comprehensive crisis response network statewide.
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Valerie Lamper, a clinical social worker at Summit Pointe’s First Step Urgent Care, helps deliver crisis mental health care to residents of Calhoun County.
The role of hospitals in crisis care
Michigan’s hospitals play a pivotal role in the crisis continuum, as well. Many emergency departments are the first stop for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. Yet, hospitals often lack the capacity to meet the unique needs of these patients. According to the
Michigan Health and Hospital Association (MHA), hospitals are constantly exploring ways to better serve mental health patients, particularly those in crisis.
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Lauren LaPine“When a person unfortunately finds themselves in a behavioral health crisis, likely one of the first places that they go is one of our hospital emergency departments. But many people also find themselves stuck waiting in emergency departments for an inpatient psychiatric bed, intensive inpatient services for a behavioral health crisis, or waiting for a variety of different outpatient services that many times are provided by a local community mental health agency,” says Lauren LaPine, senior director of legislative and public policy at MHA.
To address these concerns, MHA is partnering with mental health organizations and advocating for more resources that can support crisis intervention before hospitalization becomes necessary. This includes initiatives aimed at integrating crisis care facilities within or adjacent to hospital settings and providing individuals appropriate mental health treatment without the extended wait times and high costs often associated with ER visits.
“We are working to build partnerships that can offer more specialized crisis care options. Similar to community paramedics initiatives,
MDHHS [Michigan Department of Health and Human Services] has been committed to expanding access to mobile crisis units so when an individual is in some type of behavioral health crisis, there are mobile crisis units you can call through local community mental health agencies,” says LaPine.
This focus on coordination is essential to building a continuum that truly supports individuals at every stage of crisis care. In recent years, Michigan has made strides by increasing funding for community mental health programs and expanding mental health training for first responders and health care providers. However, experts like those at CHRT emphasize that sustainable change will require a long-term commitment from both the state and private sectors.
“Both local and state policies have created sustainable and innovative solutions like the
mental health millage in Washtenaw County,
crisis continuum hotline in Oakland County, and the mobile crisis services and crisis stabilization units growing in Wayne and Kent County through
Network 180,” says Baum.
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An operator in the call center at Network 180, Kent County's community mental health agency.
A collaborative vision for the future
Building a comprehensive crisis care continuum is not without its challenges, but Michigan’s path forward offers a hopeful outlook. Through a collaborative effort involving community-based organizations like LifeWays, policy research by CHRT, and the frontline support of hospitals, Michigan aims to establish a mental health crisis system that is accessible, effective, and built to address the complex needs of its residents. Each of these organizations underscores the importance of expanding access points to mental health care beyond traditional emergency departments, promoting a system that meets individuals where they are.
As Michigan moves forward in developing this continuum, the insights provided by these and other community mental health agencies highlight the path toward a more responsive, equitable mental health crisis system. Their collective work brings Michigan one step closer to a future where mental health crises are met with the compassion, speed, and expertise that can make a life-saving difference.
Brianna Nargiso, a graduate of Howard University and Mercer University, specializes in media, journalism, and public health. Her work has appeared in The Root, 101 Magazine, and Howard University News Service, covering profiles, politics, and breaking news. A Hearst journalism award nominee and active member of the National Association for Black Journalists, she has also worked with Teach for America and the Peace Corps. Now a doctoral candidate at American University, Brianna is dedicated to advancing social justice, public health and education on a global scale.
Photos by Doug Coombe.
Summit Pointe photo by John Grap.
Lauren LaPine photo courtesy MHA.
Network 180 photo courtesy Network 180.
The MI Mental Health series highlights the opportunities that Michigan's children, teens, and adults of all ages have to find the mental health help they need, when and where they need it. It is made possible with funding from the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan, Center for Health and Research Transformation, LifeWays, Michigan Health and Hospital Association, Northern Lakes CMH Authority, OnPoint, Sanilac County CMH, Summit Pointe, and Washtenaw County CMH.