2022 Legislative Roundup

NASW-MI’s Legislative Round-Up 2022

NASW-MI’s advocacy program has continued to be active. The pandemic also created an urgency around mental health and economic issues. Amongst the great things that we have achieved this year, we also spent a significant amount of time opposing legislation, specifically bills that targeted privatization of Community Mental Health. Thanks to members, we were successful in defeating all attempts at those legislative changes.

The following is a round up of issues we also worked on in 2022:

State Budget:

We were successful in securing funding for our major budget priorities listed below.

• $10 million to expand existing health care loan repayment program to include behavioral health providers (which includes social workers) to pay for education loans in exchange for workers going into areas in most need due to a shortage of health professionals

• $2.5 million for First Responder Mental Health

• $1 million and 8 FTEs to help with admission and discharge at state psychiatric hospitals

• $3 million increase for Michigan Crisis and Action Line (MiCAL)

• $5 million for 3 Wayne State-based workforce expansion programs as follows: Increase the number of mental health nurse practitioners

  • Train social workers in crisis stabilization management

  • Provide skills training to direct care workers

• Section 31o – Direct Hiring of School Mental Health Professionals and Nurses

  • $240 million

  • Boilerplate corrected to make it an annual program rather than a 3-year work project limitation

NASW-MI Led Bills

SB 246 & 435  (VanderWall & MacDonald) Expansion of health provider loan repayment program 

expand the essential health provider loan repayment program. SB 246 raises the maximum allowable loan repayment from $200,000 to $300,000 for providers who agree to serve in a health resource shortage area for two to 10 years. SB 435 expands the program to allow mental health professionals working in a health resource shortage area to qualify for the loan repayment program, including social workers.

SB 1012/HB 6020 (VanderWall) Payment for school social work interns 

provides payment for graduate-level school social work, psychology, and counseling students during their field placements. It will cover up to $25 per hour for up to 20 hours per week for a school year (30 weeks) or a lump sum of up to $15,000 per school year.

There were many more bills this legislative session that NASW-MI has supported but were not primary supporters. 

We look forward to a busy 102nd Michigan Legislature in 2023!