'Delays are dangerous': CMH director worried about state's plan for conflict-free access

OTTAWA COUNTY — Ottawa County's Interim Community Mental Health Director Michael Brashears is concerned about state-level changes that could spell delays for those in need of assistance.

Brashears — who is set to be recommended as full-time director later this month — provided a departmental update during a meeting of the Ottawa County Board’s Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday, July 16.

In his update, Brashears said he's continuing to track the state’s plan to implement "conflict-free access and planning." He worries the plan, as currently laid out, could lead to delays in care.

"Delay is dangerous," he said. "That's my simple point."

The plan would separate the organizations who approve services for CMH users from those who provide those services. Currently, as outlined in the state’s mental health code, CMH of Ottawa County does both.

Brashears said it could “fundamentally change” how mental health services are delivered.

The state's plan is meant bring Michigan in compliance with rules from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Most of CMHOC’s funding comes from Medicaid. The goal of conflict-free access and planning is to promote choice and independence for those receiving services, and ensure planning isn't influenced by a provider’s self-interest.

Brashears said the shift has been coming for years, but has been kicked down the road. He previously voiced the possibility of a resolution opposing the state’s plan, but is holding off to make sure the language is clear.

“We want to make sure we’re not saying we’re against people having a choice of provider,” Brashears said. “I’ve been on this fence of, we’re for conflict-free access and planning, but we’re not for the specific implementation plan of MDHHS.”

Ottawa County sees first rabies-positive bat of 2024

During her report to the committee, Health Officer Adeline Hambley said the county has seen its first rabies-positive bat of the year, with test results coming back Friday.

The bat was found in a family’s basement. Four family members in the home are undergoing post-exposure treatment.

Hambley said residents should take precautions to secure their homes and avoid contact with bats. Bat bites and scratches can be too small to see, and people can be bitten without knowing.

Captured bats can be taken to Harbor Humane Society to be processed and sent to state labs for testing.

Hambley also said there was a case of salmonella type E — typhoid fever — in a food service worker at a USDA-licensed facility in the county. The case was contained to one person and there was no contamination of food product, she said.

Appointments made to new board

Also on Tuesday, during a meeting of Ottawa County's Talent and Recruitment Committee, members of the new Materials Management Planning Committee were preliminarily appointed. The committee will replace the Solid Waste Management Committee, starting Aug. 1.

All 11 members of the committee were approved 5-0 and will advance to the full board for final approval next week. Members, with their seat in parenthesis, are:

• Matt Rosser (solid waste facility/landfill)
• Russ Boersma (hauler)
• Tom Mahoney (materials recovery facility)
• Dan Tietema (compost facility/aerobic digester)
• Kari Bliss (waste diversion, reuse or deduction facility operator)
• Kelly Goward (environmental group)
• Jacob Bonnema (elected official of the county)
• Edward Costigan (elected township official)
• Dan Broersma (elected city official)
• Nick Carlson (business that generates managed material)
• Paul Sachs (regional planning agency)

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Bliss, Boersma, Bonnema, Broersma, Goward and Rosser are all currently on the SWPC.

The appointments for the MMPC, if approved by the full board next week, run until July 31, 2029.

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.