In The News
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Michigan must beef up mental health services for kids under court settlement
MAY 28, 2025 | BridgeMichigan | Robin Erb
A settlement in a federal lawsuit would force the state to expand mental health services for children who receive intensive treatment under Medicaid, the largest payer of those services in the state.
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Michigan foster care agencies win legal battle over rate dispute
MARCH 11, 2025 | Mlive By Gus Burns | fburns@mlive.com
LANSING, MI -- Private foster care agencies won a legal battle with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services over a rate dispute.
The state must pay a daily rate of $60.20, per child, to private agencies, Court of Claims Judge Sima G. Patel said in her March 4 opinion.
MDHHS previously agreed to the amount in its 2025 budget plan, but more than 20 private foster care agencies filed a lawsuit when MDHHS attempted to revise the terms.
MDHHS, according to court records, asked agencies to sign a contract with a daily rate of $54.18. The agencies could earn the full daily amount of $60.20 by reaching certain incentive benchmarks.
To receive the full rate, agencies would have been required to ensure at least 85% siblings in foster care were able to see each other monthly and at least
95% of all children under their supervision would receive face-to-face meeting with their assigned worker each month.
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‘Reunification Day’ Celebrates Putting Families Back Together
Wayne County hosts program to honor reunified families and child welfare professionals
DETROIT, MI, June 28, 2024 – Families, court officials, and child welfare professionals gathered at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center yesterday for the 7th Annual Michigan Reunification Day, which celebrates the efforts of parents reuniting with their children in foster care. The event featured Michigan Supreme Court Justices Megan K. Cavanagh and Kyra H. Bolden, who serve as co-liaisons on child welfare matters, as well as retired Justice Maura D. Corrigan, who formerly served as director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
“Observing the remarkable transformations in children and families through our reunification programs has been a true highlight of my work in the judiciary,” said Justice Cavanagh. “Reuniting families is the pinnacle of court-community engagement, as our judiciary actively contributes to making families whole, once again.”