Center for Behavioral Health and Justice, Michigan Mental Health Diversion Council report marks a decade of dedication to a safe and healthy Michigan

Detroit, MI, Thursday, July 31, 2025

DETROIT, MI - The Center for Behavioral Health and Justice (CBHJ) at the Wayne State University School of Social Work and the Michigan Mental Health Diversion Council (the Council) released a milestone report reflecting on more than a decade of progress transforming Michigan's approach to behavioral health and criminal justice.

"I am thrilled with the Council's success in their partnership with Wayne State University's School of Social Work Center for Behavioral Health and Justice," said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II in his opening letter. "We have enabled more Michiganders to receive treatment than ever before."

This landmark report, presented to the Michigan Executive Office, highlights the outcomes of collaborative, data-driven efforts to divert individuals with mental illness and co-occurring disorders away from jails and into appropriate care. With initiatives spanning criminal/legal and juvenile justice systems, the report demonstrates the Council's evolution to a visionary policy body and a statewide leader in system transformation.

"The growth of these initiatives across Michigan stems largely from a consistent lesson learned through early pilot programs launched by the Diversion Council: the power of partnerships and collaborative action" said Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel. "Our goal now, as it has always been, is to make sure that every Michigander can live an independent, self-determined life free from incarceration when treatment is more appropriate."

As the Council's research and implementation partner since 2014, the CBHJ brings innovation to the forefront, translating data into action, empowering health systems across Michigan, and positioning Wayne State University as a national leader in applied behavioral health research. Together, the Council and CBHJ have evaluated behavioral health crisis responses, expanded assisted outpatient treatment, launched the State Crisis Intervention Team Office, and strengthened reentry supports for veterans and youth. Programs like Stepping Up Technical Assistance, Rural Jails Mental Health Partnership, and Diversion Intervention through Boundary Spanning (DIBS) demonstrate scalable, sustainable solutions tailored to local needs.

"The release of this report marks a critical moment of reflection and celebration," said Sheryl Kubiak, founding director of the CBHJ and dean of the Wayne State University School of Social Work. "It not only honors the commitment of state and local partners in nearly all of Michigan's counties and advances the University's Prosperity Agenda, but also underscores the potential of innovative, evidence-based action to improve the safety and health of Michiganders."

Read the report at https://behaviorhealthjustice.wayne.edu/mhdc-milestone-report.

About the Council: Created by Executive Order 2013-7, the Mental Health Diversion Council was created in the Michigan Department of Community Health to advise and assist in the implantation of the Diversion Action Plan and provide recommendations for statutory, contractual or procedural changes to improve diversion. The Council is charged with "reducing the number of people with mental illness or intellectual or developmental disabilities (including comorbid substance addiction) from entering the corrections system, while maintaining public safety". Learn more

About the CBHJ: The Wayne State University School of Social Work Center for Behavioral Health envisions communities in which research, data, and best practices are used by multiple stakeholders to enhance the optimal well-being of individuals with mental illness and/or substance use disorders who come into contact with the criminal/legal system. Learn more