Within county government health infrastructure, recipient’s rights boards are created to protect the rights of consumers receiving treatment services for substance use disorder (SUD), mental illness (MI), and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). It is the job of the community mental health (CMH) board to oversee the provision of these services. Unfortunately, in most counties in Michigan, including Ottawa County, these two boards are comprised of the same individuals, which has proven to be a conflict of interest in many situations.
The Detroit Free Press did an extensive investigation sharing many examples of conflicts. The primary issue is that those charged with providing services are also charged with disciplinary actions when issues arise. According to the article, “The state's 46 community mental health agencies investigate themselves and the caregivers they hire.” The article cites cases of neglect, sexual abuse, and even death, and further states, “The Office of Recipient Rights within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has dramatically undercounted the number of cases of abuse and neglect, including those that result in death or serious injury, in its annual report to the Legislature.”
The Ottawa County CMH board consists of twelve members. According to state law, at least one-third (4 members) must be primary consumers or family members, and at least 2 of those should be primary consumers. The Ottawa County CMH board currently consists of the following members which includes three individuals whose terms began in April 2024:
Donna Bunce – family member
Stephen Rockman – family member
Tom Bird – family member
Beth VanHoven – family member
Christian Kleinjans – general public
David Parnin – general public
Gretchen Cosby - commissioner
Lucy Ebel - commissioner
Sylvia Rhodea - commissioner
Kendra Wenzel - commissioner
Primary Consumer TBD
Primary Consumer TBD
Of the current board members, ten have served less than two years. The commissioners began serving in January 2023, with the exception of Kendra Wenzel who was appointed in December 2023. Donna Bunce was appointed in April 2023 and Stephen Rockman was appointed in September 2023. The terms of Beth VanHoven and Tom Bird began on April 1, 2024.
As has been the practice for approximately 15 years, the March 22, 2024 CMH board meeting doubled as a recipient’s rights board meeting. First the recipient’s rights board meeting was held and closed, and then the CMH meeting began. During the meeting, there was a brief discussion regarding the relationship between the two boards.
Board member Donna Bunce asked, “You said, when you were presenting the whole recipients rights advisory committee; Did there used to be an advisory committee, because it seems to me like maybe there should be a separate committee? [] Did there used to be a separate committee from this?”
Ottawa County Director of Recipient Right’s Brianna Fowler answered, “Well, you are the committee. So, this is separate [referring to the meeting]. It wasn’t always made up of the CMH board members. [] I’ve been in the right’s office for 18 years, and I bet 15 of those years, the board has been the recipients rights advisory committee.”
CMH Deputy Director Anna Bednarek also responded. “Since 2008, board members have been the recipient’s rights advisory committee.”
Bunce then asked, “Do other CMH’s do it that way?”
Board member Dave Parnin added, “Yes. We’re charged with having a separate meeting and it’s confusing to folks.”
Ottawa County Director of Recipient Rights Brianna Fowler provided clarification. “The role of this committee is to protect me, in the rights office. That’s really the function of this committee; to make sure we have funding, to make sure Lynne and Anna aren’t putting any pressure on me to make any decisions I don’t want to make.” (1:09:00)
The board’s discussion and the flaws exposed in Michigan’s health oversight by the Detroit Free Press clearly illustrate a conflict between having an investigative body under the same leadership as those they are charged to investigate. Given there has been significant change on the Ottawa County CMH board, it will be interesting to see if there are any changes made to this governing structure in the upcoming months to provide more independence to the county’s Office of Recipient Rights.