LANSING, Mich. — Senate Health Policy Committee Minority Vice Chair Michael Webber, R-Rochester Hills, on Thursday reaffirmed his calls for increased accountability and oversight into the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services following reports that the U.S. Department of Justice has opened a disability rights investigation into whether the state unnecessarily keeps adults with serious mental illness in state psychiatric hospitals in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act
“The recent development that federal oversight is needed to protect patients seeking care at Michigan’s psychiatric hospitals is just the latest in an expanding series of troubling events that have raised serious red flags regarding MDHHS leadership and the agency’s ability to serve vulnerable residents seeking psychiatric care,” said Webber, R-Rochester Hills. “I will continue to call on my fellow legislators to join me in fulfilling our duty to safeguard the rights of patients who rely on the state’s care and hold MDHHS accountable to all Michigan residents.”
Webber recently introduced legislation to address growing concerns over patient rights and oversight at state-run psychiatric hospitals.
Senate Bill 1048, sponsored by Webber, would prohibit any MDHHS executive office staff from being appointed to or serving on the state’s Recipient Rights Advisory Committee and add representatives from Disability Rights Michigan, Mental Health Association in Michigan, and Arc Michigan as permanent standing members.
SB 1049, sponsored by Sen. Rick Outman, R-Six Lakes, and co-sponsored by Webber, would require hospitals to give voluntarily hospitalized psychiatric patients written notice of their rights. Hospitals already are required to give involuntarily hospitalized psychiatric patients written notice of their rights. However, the same is not true for patients who sign paperwork agreeing to formal, voluntary admission.
Residents who would like to share their experiences or concerns over care received at state-run psychiatric hospitals may contact Disability Rights Michigan, the federally mandated protection and advocacy system for Michigan, toll-free at 1-800-288-5923 or visit drmich.org.