LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Families, providers, and advocates gathered at the Capitol on Wednesday, combining a press conference with the annual Walk A Mile in My Shoes Rally, to protest a state proposal they say could harm Michigan’s public mental health system.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHPs), which manage behavioral health care for Medicaid recipients. The department says the change will make care “more accessible and person-centered,” but critics warn it could privatize services, raise costs, and limit access. They say the proposed changes are a direct response to feedback and requests from people receiving mental health services in Michigan.

“This is comprehensive health car

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