Bills sponsored by state Rep. Jamie Thompson that make critical reforms and provide oversight and transparency to Michigan’s mental health system to ensure patients are getting effective, needed care today were advanced by the House Health Policy Committee.

House Bill 4218 adds three members to the recipient rights advisory committee, which is part of Michigan’s statewide system that processes patient complaints in the mental health realm. The new members will come from mental health advocacy groups – making targeted changes to the panel to ensure patient rights are protected.

“These groups often receive complaints and calls from impacted individuals and their families,” said Thompson, of Brownstown. “By putting representatives from these groups on the committee, they can take what they are hearing from patients and their loved ones and push for changes that will lead to more effective care and better outcomes.”

HB 4219 requires patient rights for voluntary mental health treatment to be communicated both orally and in writing. Patient advocacy organizations have reported that voluntary patients are often unaware of their rights and are not informed of them, including the right to end treatment. Thompson noted that state-run psychiatric hospitals have frequently fallen short in this area and with patient safety as a whole – making these safeguards crucial.

“Some of the problems we are hearing about from patients and families involve someone not knowing their rights when they voluntarily seek treatment,” Thompson said. “This can lead to confusion, a lack of trust in the system, and less people getting treatment they may desperately need.”

“During my time in the Legislature, I have been committed to delivering a better mental health care system for people and children across Michigan. These bills are a step in the right direction, and I look forward to continuing these conversations and improving our processes.”

In the face of systemic problems and detailed accounts from mistreated individuals and their families, Thompson has pushed for the state Auditor General to investigate the Office of Recipient Rights to ensure the constitutional and statutory rights of recipients of public mental health services are protected, and that patients and families know these rights. The bills work in tandem with these continued calls, and the Auditor General is expected to release its performance audit findings later this year.

HBs 4218-19 now move to the House for consideration.