State Rep. Julie Rogers (R-MI-41) said her experience as a physical therapist has shown her firsthand the need for Michigan to invest in inpatient mental health care.
Her comments come after Great Lakes Wire reported that Michigan ranked 46th among 50 states plus the District of Columbia for the number of psychiatric beds per 100,000 people.
“Yes, I believe Michigan should invest in expanding access to inpatient mental health care,” Rogers told Kalamazoo Times. “Historically, we went from roughly 1200 beds in 2004 to just under 600 in 2024, a 50% reduction.”
“As a practicing physical therapist, I have witnessed firsthand patients with behavioral health diagnoses ‘stuck’ in inpatient medical hospital facilities for months while waiting for a bed in an inpatient psychiatric hospital,” Rogers said. “I also receive calls several times each year from hospital administrators and occasionally judges in my district seeking my assistance to find placement for individuals at longer-term state-run institutions. The need is greater than what we have available.’
A report released by the Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC) found that, “in 2023, Michigan had 5 psychiatric beds per 100,000 population,” placing the state among the lowest in the nation for inpatient mental health care capacity.
That number is well below the 40 to 60 beds per 100,000 that TAC said is the “recommended minimum” for states.
“The average cost to care for an individual with a serious mental health disorder in a state-run facility is roughly $300 and the average cost to care for them in a private facility is roughly $800 per day. I would propose investing more heavily in our state-run institutions,” said Rogers. “Part of the difficulty in keeping enough beds open at these state-run hospitals is it has been difficult to attract talent.”
“I think we need to find creative ways to recruit and retain behavioral health professionals like shoring up the MIDocs program, offering competitive wages, and finding innovative ways to support our existing teams to prevent burnout,” Rogers said. “Additionally, I have heard from providers that Medicaid paperwork can be burdensome. This is an area I am interested in examining further to streamline processes where it makes sense without impacting patient safety.”
The TAC report said psychiatric bed availability has been consistently declining since the 1950s.
“In 1955, the country had 340 psychiatric beds per 100,000 people. By 2016, that number had fallen to 11.7 per 100,000, leaving many individuals with severe mental illness without adequate inpatient care options,” said the report.
Founded in 1998, the TAC is a nonprofit organization based in Arlington, Va., that focuses on mental health policy and research related to serious mental illness.
A report by the Citizens Research Council of Michigan found that Michigan has a total of 3,195 inpatient psychiatric beds, including those in state psychiatric hospitals and community hospitals. However, the state’s bed-to-population ratio remains inadequate to meet service needs.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also reported that between 2018 and 2020, Michigan had a total psychiatric bed-to-population ratio of 33.0 per 100,000 when including both state and private facilities. Even with this broader measure, the state still falls short of the minimum recommended capacity, emphasizing the need for increased psychiatric bed availability.
The psychiatric bed shortage has far-reaching consequences, leading to overcrowded emergency rooms, long wait times for inpatient care, and increased burdens on law enforcement and social services.
Rogers said she would tell Michigan families struggling to find psychiatric care that there are “several legislators working on this important issue.”
“If you have not already done so, I encourage you to reach out to your legislator to make your voice heard about behavioral health issues,” she said.
Rogers has represented the 41st District in the Michigan House of Representatives since she was first elected in 2020.. Before serving in the state legislature, Rogers worked as a physical therapist and was a Kalamazoo County Commissioner for several years. She has been involved in healthcare policy and community service throughout her career.
Where does Michigan rank in psychiatric beds per 100,000 people?
