On Wednesday, the House approved my legislation to combat the ongoing shortage of behavioral health workers across Michigan. The issue was brought to my attention last year during the House C.A.R.E.S. Task Force statewide tour, which was established to find solutions to critical mental health issues. This bill would allow certain retired mental health professionals to come back to work with the Department of Health and Human Services without forfeiting pension benefits.

After talking with professionals across the state, I know many retired employees would consider returning to public psychiatric care if it didn’t mean losing their pension income. Ultimately, this legislation benefits both workers and the state as it will ensure more state psychiatric jobs are filled by specialized and experienced individuals. The bill will now be considered by the state Senate.

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In addition to my role as your state representative, I also participated as an honorary member on the Brain Injury Association Honorary Committee. This week, the association hosted its 21^st annual Legacy Society Spring Tribute Dinner. It was a great night supporting an important cause. Thank you to everyone involved with the Brain Injury Association of Michigan for your tireless work protecting those made vulnerable through traumatic incidents.

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As a member of the House Education Committee, I recently joined some of my colleagues for a tour of a school-based health center at Eastern High School in Lansing. School-Community Health Alliance of Michigan organized the event to provide us an inside look at child and adolescent health centers. It was an insightful and beneficial learning experience, which will no doubt be useful as we draft future policy.

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I recently met with some of Livingston’s local and county officials in Lansing to discuss how state and local governments can better work together. It is a privilege to serve with so many sincere public servants who care about our communities. It is important we all work together to make the best decisions for the people of Livingston.

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If you have any ideas, comments or questions for my office, please do not hesitate to call us at 517-373-8835 or send an email to [email protected]. We are happy to hear from you!