Court allows controversial mental health plan to move forward
The Michigan Court of Claims ruled this week that the Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) can move forward with its plan to rebid and restructure the state’s Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHPs) while the broader legal challenge continues.
In Region 10 PIHP v. State of Michigan, the court affirmed that MDHHS has the legal authority to use a competitive bidding process and reduce the number of PIHPs. However, that authority has limits. The department cannot use the RFP process to alter or override state law, including duties assigned under the Mental Health Code to Community Mental Health Service Programs (CMHSPs).
Judge Christopher Yates stated that competitive procurement falls within the department’s discretion but made clear that discretion does not extend to reinterpreting statute. One remaining issue — whether parts of the RFP conflict with CMHSP responsibilities — will be resolved through a declaratory ruling.
For now, MDHHS is continuing to evaluate proposals and move forward with its system redesign, though counties and providers remain watchful for how the final decision could affect local governance and behavioral health delivery across the state.
For more information on this issue, contact Jimmy Johnson at johnson@micounties.org.
Podcast 83: DTE executive discusses electric grid, clean power plans
Michigan residents frustrated by power outages can lay a good deal of blame on our leafy companions, said an executive with one of the state’s largest utilities in a new episode of Podcast 83.
“Trees cause 50 percent of the (electric) outages,” explained Brian Calka, senior vice president for distribution operations for DTE Electric.
“You think about these 60- to 70-mph winds. They are ripping trees out of the ground and throwing them into our infrastructure,” Calka said. “We have over 1,000 people out there every day trimming trees to minimize that …”
Calka and his team are responsible for an electric grid serving 2.3 million customers with 45,000 miles of wire and cable and more than 1 million electric poles – “those things that you see on the side of the road,” Calka noted.
Pushing against this system, on top of the normal aging process for equipment, is the increasing wrath of Mother Nature.
“It is at an all-time high for the frequency of (extreme weather) events that we are seeing, the magnitude of these events that we are seeing,” Calka said. “It’s been growing at a much higher rate than what we’ve ever seen before. So, it’s really incumbent on utilities like DTE to harden the grid, to make it more resilient.”
These challenges to the lines must be addressed at the same time the utility is engaged in a transformational project to create the power to send through them.
DTE has invested $5 billion in renewable energy since 2010 and plans to invest an additional $8 billion by the end of the decade, Calka noted.
“(I)n Michigan, we started doing this type of work with wind and solar 15 years ago. Or you think about the original RPS (renewable portfolio standard). This was set many, many years ago, and we built out a number of projects to support that,” Calka said. “And then in the latter part of the previous decade, it increased a little bit. But then, gosh, a couple of years ago, really, it got moving again through very noble ambitions to clean up all the generation sources.”
To learn more about DTE’s renewable strategies, its response to state law on the placement of renewable energy facilities and its plans to reduce outages by 30 percent in the next four years, click here or on the image above.
Join NACo in honoring veterans via Operation Green Light
America’s counties have a long and proud history of serving our nation’s veterans, a legacy that continues to this day as we work with our federal, state and local partners to ensure that the former service members have access to the resources they need to thrive.
This Veterans Day, the National Association of Counties (NACo) will celebrate the fifth anniversary of Operation Green Light. NACo and the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers invite the nation’s 3,069 counties, parishes, and boroughs to join us in showing support for veterans by lighting our buildings green from Nov. 4-11, 2025. By shining a green light, county governments and our residents will let veterans know that they are seen, appreciated and supported.
To participate, counties are encouraged to use this template to pass a resolution declaring your county’s participation in Operation Green Light and utilize NACo’s participation resources to spread the word.
In 2024, Michigan counties participating in the event included Chippewa, St. Joseph, Genesee, Oakland, Wexford, Midland, Lenawee and Kent.
Commissioners have one last chance to earn CCA credit in 2025
Members looking to reach magic seventh credit to earn a Year 1 certificate have one option left in 2025.
With Michigan’s adoption of four-year terms for county commissioners, MAC’s continuing education program, County Commissioner Academy, was modified after the November 2024 elections to create a four-year curriculum, with commissioners able to earn yearly certificates on their way to full certification at the end of their term.
The Year 1 program has focused on Board Operations, offering a maximum of 10 credits over the year, with only seven (7) such credits needed to earn a Year 1 certificate.
With the conclusion of MAC’s Annual Conference on Oct. 2, only one credit-earning opportunity remains this year:
- MSU Extension Governing Essentials Series (December 2025) (1 credit available)
To see how many credits you may already have earned via attendance at MAC events or webinars, visit the CCA page on MAC’s website.
Direct questions about CCA to Communications Director Derek Melot at melot@micounties.org.
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MAC briefs Kent County delegation visiting State Capitol
MAC’s Samantha Gibson and Jimmy Johnson briefed Kent County commissioners and administrators in Lansing this week during the county’s visit to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the State Capitol.
The MAC team reviewed the FY26 budget and MAC’s priorities for the remainder of the legislative session. County wins in the FY26 budget include no cuts to revenue sharing, additional funding for public safety purposes and prosecutor grants.
NACo seeks members for its Great Lakes Regional Forum
Earlier this year, the National Association of Counties (NACo) created the Great Lakes Regional Forum “to promote a clearer understanding of mutual problems of Great Lakes counties and their citizens, to establish a single source of information concerning county governments in the Great Lakes region and to advocate on behalf of those residing in Great Lakes counties before federal government.”
Michigan county leaders wishing to participate, can visit https://member.naco.org/committees-home/, then log in and hit “Apply to a Committee.” At the bottom of that page, you should see “Great Lakes Regional Forum.” Select that box and hit “submit.” NACo will then review the application.
Additionally, on Oct. 23, at 10 a.m. Eastern, the forum will host a call via MS Teams featuring Helena Volzer from the Alliance for the Great Lakes to talk about the Alliance’s new report on water constraints in the Great Lakes, especially relating to the rise of data centers. That report can be found here.
Use these credentials to join the call on Oct. 23:
- Join the meeting now
- Meeting ID: 292 854 004 109 8
- Passcode: Sp2kY32a
For more information about the forum, contact Ben Gilsdorf at bgilsdorf@naco.org.
Staff picks
- Michigan’s bipartisan budget deal aims to ‘protect’ Medicaid. Here’s how (Bridge Michigan)
- Did environment play a role? Experts continue studying breast cancer in Grand Traverse County (Up North Live)
- New approach transforms youth justice in Pierce County (Wash.) (NACo County News)
- Michigan hunters have harvested more than 39,000 deer. Here’s where they’re seeing success (Detroit Free Press)