LANSING, Mich. – Demolition is complete, and major infrastructure updates are underway to support mental health care. Construction continues on Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties’ (CMHA-CEI) Crisis Care Center. Progress on the new space for adults, youth and families facing behavioral health emergencies is on track for a 2026 opening.
While policymakers debate the future of Medicaid, and mental health care funding faces cuts and uncertainty, construction progress is a bright spot for the region’s healthcare landscape.
“We recognize the distress people feel about the future of Medicaid, because changes will have real impacts on our community,” said Sara Lurie, CEO of CMHA-CEI. “No matter what happens with people’s coverage, crises don’t stop. People often end up in crowded emergency departments.
The Crisis Care Center’s goal is to provide people immediate, wraparound care; keep hospital beds free for medical emergencies; and help families experiencing a behavioral health crisis find their footing quickly.”According to Lurie, “We exist to provide the region with the best possible access to resources for compassionate crisis care, now and in the future.
”Renovation and construction of the center to date, located at 2900 Stabler St. on the former McLaren Greenlawn campus, is backed by a series of grants secured from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA). While construction continues on the facility, the future of the services provided within faces challenges. Medicaid is a focus of significant proposed federal budget cuts, creating new pressures on state and local programs and their budgets. Lurie emphasized Medicaid is a lifeline for more than 2.6 million Michiganders, including one in three people with mental illness. In 2023, federal support covered 76% of Michigan’s Medicaid spending, and federal Medicaid was the primary source of payment for mental health services.
Medicaid funds comprehensive care services for low-income adults and children, which will be critical to many of the services provided at the Crisis Care Center. People can visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness website to learn more about mental health-specific Medicaid cuts and their impacts, as well as how these services support individuals, families and communities.
“The center is a new iteration and expansion of existing Crisis Services,” said Lurie. “It creates one place for immediate care. We believe people need and deserve a welcoming space, and coordinated support, so our neighbors in crisis find a pathway forward.”Current plans move CMHA-CEI’s existing Crisis Services and several other related programs from a variety of locations throughout the community into this single hub for care.
Additions will also include a Crisis Stabilization Unit for adults and a separate unit for children and youth. The Crisis Stabilization Unit will be the first of its kind for Lansing, and Lurie notes the team’s pride in bringing the unit to the community.
“Hope isn’t abstract here. It’s under construction,” Lurie said, emphasizing how important hope is for people. “The momentum of the Crisis Care Center can be that source of hope for families. The center’s progress is a bright spot for Greater Lansing, moving us toward our vision of a hub for compassionate, specialized crisis care in one place.
”For those already experiencing any form of mental or behavioral health challenges, CMHA-CEI’s existing Crisis Services offer walk-ins and 24-hour calls every day.
Those experiencing a mental or behavioral health crisis should call Adult Crisis Services at 517-346-8460 or Children’s Crisis Services at 517-346-8008 for immediate care. Alternatively, visit CMHA-CEI’s Adult Crisis Services website or Children’s Crisis Services website to access readily available support. Learn more about CMHA-CEI’s other services by visiting its website, and follow CMHA-CEI on Facebook for ongoing updates about the center’s construction.
