Bipartisan support for early intervention legislation and newly outlined recommendations on bed capacity have renewed faith in revamping the state’s behavioral health system.
Michigan Health Watch
In-depth reporting on the intersection between public policy and important health topics ‒ such as insurance coverage, hospital admissions, opioid abuse, access to care, medical research and the business of health care ‒ that impact nearly every Michigan resident.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Suit: Michigan home for troubled girls a ‘house of horrors,’ rife with abuse
Six former residents of Vista Maria in metro Detroit say they suffered sexual, physical and psychological abuse there as girls.
Posted inEvents, Michigan Health Watch, The Center for Michigan
Bridge Listens Issues Watch continues with virtual conversation on health care
Health reporters from Bridge Michigan will host a virtual panel discussion at 7 p.m. April 29 to discuss rising health costs and concerns about the 2026 election.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan kids in mental health crisis sent out of state as facilities close
Michigan has a shrinking capacity for children and teens in severe psychological crises. Families are finding care hundreds of miles away, and a growing number of kids are sent away by courts.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
State lowers vaccine age recommendation in SE Michigan amid measles outbreak
Children as young as 6 months should get vaccinated against measles, state health experts advise, as measles cases spill into a second Michigan county.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Supreme Court ruling puts Michigan’s ‘conversion therapy’ ban in jeopardy
A federal appeals court ruling in December blocked Michigan’s law meant to protect LGBTQ+ youth from taking effect. The state’s law faces significant challenges following the US Supreme Court’s decision to strike down a similar ban in Colorado.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Three years in, funds to fight opioids still unspent in some Michigan counties
Funds meant to save lives in Michigan’s drug war are still sitting in the bank accounts of some local governments.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Providers face ‘extreme shortage’ of paramedics, EMTs in rural Michigan
Paramedics and EMTs regularly handle the state’s worst medical traumas and receive wages similar to fast-food workers. Even with state assistance to promote workforce development, gaps remain.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
EMS providers battle money, staffing woes in rural Michigan’s ambulance ‘deserts’
Rural emergency medical services in Michigan are burdened by the high cost of keeping crews ready and insurance payouts that fail to cover calls. Hospital closures and mergers and a lack of local dollars aren’t helping matters, leaving local residents in a bind to keep services afloat.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan measles outbreak: Confirmed cases grow to seven, including child under 5
The Washtenaw County outbreak has seven confirmed cases and one hospitalization. Officials are asking that anyone unvaccinated or not already immune to measles stay away from others for a full 21 days after exposure.