Updates About Public Health

Attorney General Dana Nessel is part of a 24-state coalition that has successfully secured a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to stop the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) from terminating nearly $11 billion in federal public health grants — cuts that include more than $379 million originally promised to Michigan. Affected programs include vaccination funding for children, infectious disease prevention, mental health care for those with severe conditions, and opioid treatment for vulnerable populations. The TRO halts those cuts for now, ensuring continued funding while the legal challenge moves forward in federal court.

Members of the coalition, including attorney generals from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin, plus the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, argue the terminations were made without proper notice or legal justification.

Specifically, the lawsuit claims DHHS acted unlawfully by ending the grants under the justification that the COVID-19 pandemic has ended — despite Congress not tying the funding to the pandemic’s status. According to state officials, this lack of funding is already disrupting services and creating confusion for health departments and organizations that rely on these dollars.

A Senate panel has approved a package of bills aimed at addressing disparities in maternal health care for the second time. The bipartisan-supported package is championed by Senators Erika Geiss (D-Taylor), Mary Cavanagh (D-Redford Township), Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), and Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing). Together, the bills seek to close gaps in care and combat systemic inequities that have led to higher maternal and infant mortality rates.

Key provisions of the Maternal Health Care Package include:

• Bias & Discrimination Reporting (SB 29, SB 30, SB 34 – Mandates the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to collect and report data on perinatal care bias and amend civil rights laws to protect pregnant individuals.
• Hospital & Insurance Requirements (SB 31, SB 32, SB 33 – Ensures hospitals stabilize laboring patients before discharge and requires insurers to disclose perinatal care policies.
• Midwife & Medicaid Access (SB 36, SB 37, SB 38, SB 39 – Expands midwife loan repayment programs, mandates insurance reimbursement for midwives, and increases Medicaid coverage for maternal health services.
• Technical Amendments (SB 31, SB 37) – Adjustments were made to eliminate redundant reporting requirements and ensure midwives are included in insurance networks.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has introduced the Michigan Public Health Data Dashboard, an interactive tool providing public health insights by State House and State Senate districts. This resource offers key health metrics, including mortality rates, blood lead levels, smoking trends, teen births, housing costs, prenatal care, and more. This data is available to assist in making informed decisions about resource allocation and health policy.

The dashboard enables users to compare district data against statewide averages and will continue to expand with additional metrics. The tool is publicly accessible at Michigan.gov/HealthStatistics.