Democrats Propose Mental Health Board Cuts ANN ARBOR, MI (Michigan Radio) - A group of Senate Democrats wants to streamline Michigan'smental health services - and save money.

Senator Gilda Jacobs says the package of bills would cut the number of community mental health boards from 46 to 18.

But Jacobs says her bill would reduce duplication in the system.

She also says diagnosis and treatment of mental illness would be standardized.

"If somebody is considered to have a serious chronic mental illness, they should be able to get the same service whether they're in Macomb county or Wayne County or Ottawa County," she says.

Jacobs says another bill in the package would require disclosure of medical records to the next of kin, unless the patient requests the records not be
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