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Michigan mental health service shift blocked by Court of Claims
The dispute began last fall, when the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued a request that would have consolidated Michigan’s 10 Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHPs) regions—funded primarily through Medicaid behavioral health dollars—into three “super-regions.” Regional PIHPs later learned that they, as the current providers, were excluded from bidding because they are statutorily restricted to operating within their designated regions. The PIHPs filed a lawsuit, arguing the RFP violated Michigan law and threatened locally administered mental health care that has existed since the 1990s.
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Watershed Voice is an independent, nonprofit civic news magazine based in Three Rivers, Michigan. We seek to highlight solutions to your pressing concerns in an effort to make our community a better place.
Our Latest
Affordable housing panel to feature Watershed Voice editor-in-chief
For Haak-Frost and Watershed Voice, affordable housing has long been more than a policy topic—it is a core part of the newsroom’s mission-based community journalism. Haak-Frost has written and overseen coverage that explores affordable housing both as a concept and as a lived experience, asking what it truly means, who it serves, and where it falls short.
Local meeting primer: Three Rivers City Commission
Commissioners will consider an airport easement acquisition agreement, set dates for the city’s 2027 budget discussion meeting and public hearing, and decide whether to grant a special exception use permit for a proposed massage establishment.
Sturgis City Commission advances new burning rules, directs next steps on Doyle Center roof
The most contentious item on the agenda was the Burning Ordinance First Reading, a proposed update to the city’s Fire Prevention and Protection chapter that, according to the city manager’s report, has not been revised since 1969.
Watershed Voice’s warming shelter resource list
As winter continues and temperatures stay unbearably cold, Watershed Voice has compiled a list of warming centers in St. Joseph and Cass counties. If you know of any additional resources, please share them with maxwell@watershedvoice.com so they can be added to this list.
Keep Your Voice Down: Beautiful distractions
Keep Your Voice Down hosts Alek Haak-Frost and Doug Sears Jr. are joined by frequent collaborator and friend Layne Deuel to talk about distractions that helped them endure the past year. The trio discuss the benefits of going to the movies alone, why Sinners was easily the best film they saw all year, books that made them laugh (shout out to Princess Donut and Dungeon Crawler Carl), and the video games Layne plays in the wee hours of the morning because parenting is a full-time job.
After nearly seven-hour meeting, Kalamazoo City Commission votes to preserve Asylum Lake
Residents spoke for nearly three hours during the public hearing portion of agenda, with nearly every speaker voicing opposition to the rezoning.
