Last week, Robert Gordon, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), approached state legislators with a few solutions regarding Michigan's behavioral health system.
MDHHS is the department that provides solutions for people with severe mental illness, substance use disorders and developmental disabilities.
In the hearing, Gordon discussed ways to expand services and eliminate red tape and long waits for citizens in need of their services. The approach includes establishing a Specialty Integrated Plan, preserving a strong safety net and involving physical and behavioral health in care and financing.
“Michigan has a golden opportunity to improve services for our loved ones – to expand access, to reduce red tape and to strengthen our behavioral health system for the long haul,” the director said in a press release.
Gordon also discussed the "many strengths" that the department has to build on.
“We have so many strengths to build on, beginning with the heroic work of providers and caregivers statewide," Gordon said in the release. "We’re going to build on those strengths and establish an integrated approach to care that finally treats the whole person."
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