Whiteford Mental Health Legislation Signed By Governor

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Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed into law legislation from state Representative Mary Whiteford that aims to provide more mental health professionals to underserved areas. Whiteford says because the state has not updated the eligibility requirements for community mental health services, mental health centers are losing medical professionals to other states and facilities that qualify for the loan repayment program.

“What this does is amends our laws so that we can actually have an increase in psychologists and psychiatrists in our low residential areas,” Whiteford said. “So, our urban areas, our rural areas, wherever were short of professionals, they have the ability to hire a professional and and then these people can go and get federal loan repayment.”

The legislation also requires the state health department to update its policies and determine an individual’s ability to pay for community mental health services by following the federal poverty guidelines and use the federal sliding fee discount program to make services more affordable. Whiteford says more than 1,300 community mental health sites will now be able to take advantage of retention and recruitment programs as a result of this policy change.