State Reps. Donni Steele, Mark Tisdel and Tom Kuhn today announced House passage of their bill package aimed at modernizing Michigan’s Mental Health Code to better reflect today’s clinical realities and public safety needs.

House Bills 4412, 4413, and 4414 work together to reshape how Michigan approaches mental health care, emphasizing early intervention, family-based mediation options, and more effective pathways to treatment when individuals are struggling.

House Bill 4412, sponsored by Steele, helps ensure individuals experiencing a mental health crisis are evaluated quickly and connected to the care they need. By expanding the mental health workforce and improving coordination between courts and providers, the bill supports more timely, patient-centered care and stronger continuity of treatment.

“This plan is about making sure people in crisis get help sooner, not later,” said Steele (R-Orion Township). “Ultimately, this legislation improves our system’s ability to respond before tragedy occurs.”

House Bill 4413, sponsored by Tisdel, creates a new mediation option to help resolve disputes over care, giving patients and families a quicker, less burdensome alternative to going to court.

“Navigating the mental health system is already difficult for families,” said Tisdel, R-Rochester Hills. “This bill improves the two-party participation process by allowing both the patient and the therapist to raise concerns when treatment isn’t working, helping ensure communication stays open and care can be adjusted sooner.”

House Bill 4414, sponsored by Kuhn, establishes a structured diversion pathway allowing certain misdemeanor defendants to receive court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment when mental illness is a contributing factor.

“Too often, people struggling with untreated mental illness end up cycling through the criminal justice system when what they really need is treatment,” said Kuhn, R-Troy. “This bill creates a clear pathway for courts to divert certain misdemeanor cases into assisted outpatient treatment so individuals can get help while still ensuring accountability and public safety.”

These reforms create a more proactive and coordinated approach to mental health care by prioritizing early intervention, strengthening communication, creating new mediation options, and ensuring treatment is accessible before situations escalate. The bills now advance to the Senate for further consideration.