Gov. Gretchen Witmer (D-Mich..), left, and Lisa Dailey, executive director, Treatment Advocacy Center | Michigan.gov / LinkedIn
Gov. Gretchen Witmer (D-Mich..), left, and Lisa Dailey, executive director, Treatment Advocacy Center | Michigan.gov / LinkedIn
Michigan ranked 46th among 50 states plus the District of Columbia for the number of psychiatric beds per 100,000 people.
That’s according to an analysis of psychiatric beds in the state conducted by the Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC).
The TAC report found that, “in 2023, Michigan had 5 psychiatric beds per 100,000 population,” placing the state among the lowest in the nation for inpatient mental health care capacity.
That number is well below the 40 to 60 beds per 100,000 that TAC said is the “recommended minimum” for states. The TAC report said psychiatric bed availability has been consistently declining since the 1950s.
“In 1955, the country had 340 psychiatric beds per 100,000 people. By 2016, that number had fallen to 11.7 per 100,000, leaving many individuals with severe mental illness without adequate inpatient care options,” said the report.
Founded in 1998, the TAC is a nonprofit organization based in Arlington, Va., that focuses on mental health policy and research related to serious mental illness.
A report by the Citizens Research Council of Michigan found that Michigan has a total of 3,195 inpatient psychiatric beds, including those in state psychiatric hospitals and community hospitals. However, the state’s bed-to-population ratio remains inadequate to meet service needs.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also reported that between 2018 and 2020, Michigan had a total psychiatric bed-to-population ratio of 33.0 per 100,000 when including both state and private facilities. Even with this broader measure, the state still falls short of the minimum recommended capacity, emphasizing the need for increased psychiatric bed availability.
The psychiatric bed shortage has far-reaching consequences, leading to overcrowded emergency rooms, long wait times for inpatient care, and increased burdens on law enforcement and social services.
Where does Michigan rank in psychiatric beds per 100,000 people?
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