MI SB0598

Establishes specialty integrated plans as managed care organizations that operate as community mental health services programs and contract with the department for Medicaid-funded behavioral health services management.

Creates the office of the behavioral health ombudsman as an autonomous entity within the department, appointed by the governor, to oversee mental health services and establishes the behavioral health accountability council to monitor specialty integrated plan implementation.

Relocates the state office of recipient rights within the behavioral health ombudsman's office and requires specialty integrated plans to establish or contract for preadmission screening units and maintain recipient rights protections equivalent to community mental health services programs.

Expands the Michigan crisis and access line to include referral services to specialty integrated plans and requires registry data sharing; permits the director to designate specialty integrated plans as coordinating agencies for substance use disorder services beginning January 1, 2026.

Updates definitions to include specialty integrated plans throughout the Mental Health Code and requires specialty integrated plans to offer comprehensive mental health and substance use disorder services to Medicaid beneficiaries; effectiveness contingent on enactment of SB 597.