Jackson, Mich. (WKHM) — Mental health organization LifeWays hosted a PIHP (Prepaid Inpatient Health Plan) Procurement Public Legislature forum and panel discussion at their Jackson location this past Friday morning (July 25).

During which, LifeWays’ leadership group voiced their concerns on proposed restructuring from the MDHHS on Michigan’s public health care system in regard to patients on Medicaid. LifeWays CEO Maribeth Leonard was one of the speakers at the event, voicing concerns over the plan to allow competition for contracts to treat those patients.

LifeWays believes that if private organizations get control of community mental health, there would be less public accountability for them since they would not have to hold public meetings or comply with either the Open Meetings Act or the Freedom of Information Act.

Alan Bolter, Associate Director of the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan, said the MDHHS is taking the wrong approach to the definition of choice for mental health services.

Other concerns that were expressed include the potential of diverting money away from services to go toward administrative costs, and stripping local decision-making away from counties.