Michigan's prisons are full of people suffering from severe mental illnesses: A 25-year-old decision backfires

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Michigan's prisons are filled with people suffering from serious mental illness. That crisis has its roots in the decision 25 years ago to close more than a dozen state mental hospitals. Mental health advocates now say that cost-cutting measure has backfired, with devastating consequences.

A tragic emergency call

In May, a mental health crisis escalated into tragedy in just a minute and a half. Cynthia Marek, a mother from Lansing, called 911 to save her son from committing suicide.

“Right now he’s holding a carpet knife to his neck,” Marek said in the emergency call.

The emergency operator inquired about the situation and asked if her son still had the knife.

“Yes, he has it on his neck. He is in a lot of pain,” Marek replied.

Within seconds the situation became serious.

“I can’t stop him,” said Marek.

“Did he stab you?” asked the operator.

“Oh my God, oh my God!” screamed Marek.

Her son, 42-year-old Brandon Labrie, is now behind bars, charged with murder. His father, Steve Labrie, cannot understand how things got to this point.

“I've seen a lot of things in my life. In my opinion, this could have been prevented,” said Steve Labrie.

A story full of pain

Steve Labrie worked as a nurse in state psychiatric hospitals for more than 30 years. His son Brandon had suffered from chronic pain and frequent seizures since a car accident. Just weeks before the fatal attack on his mother, Brandon had attempted suicide by overdose. His father visited him in the hospital.

“I said, 'Hey Brandon, I have a hug for you.' And he stood up, and when he did, I saw something I'd never seen before. His fists were clenched and he was shaking. The look on his face was just evil,” Steve Labrie recalled.

Despite nurses' assurances that they would wait to move Brandon to a long-term psychiatric hospital, it never happened.

A system that is not enough to help

Bob Sheehan, CEO of the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan, said the mental health care system is not designed to lock people up against their will.

“Many of us still have the idea that hospitalization is like the old days. If I have a psychotic episode, I'll be hospitalized for months, a year or longer. A typical hospital stay is 7 to 10 days because it's meant to stabilize people,” Sheehan said.

But just a few days after his release from the hospital, Brandon Labrie ended up where many other mentally ill people end up – in prison.

Rachel Murray, founder of Advocates for Mental Health for MI Youth, has her own personal experiences dealing with the mental health system.

“The structure of our mental health system is simply broken,” she said.

Murray's organization offers online support groups for parents of children with severe or complex mental illnesses. About 800 parents help each other navigate Michigan's mental health care system.

“We're not doing it right in Michigan, and it hasn't been working for a long time. Now we have this backlog of all these people who haven't gotten the treatment they need,” Murray said.

She added that patients with chronic mental illnesses often have to travel to other states and pay out of pocket for the high-level, intensive care they require.

Financial hurdles in care

Sheehan pointed out that financial difficulties make it difficult for many to receive necessary mental health care.

“Many private health insurance companies do not pay for modern psychiatric treatments. They pay for outpatient psychotherapy and medication. But we know that many other treatment methods are needed, especially for illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or severe depression,” he said.

Some of these services are covered by Medicaid, but it is not available to everyone.

A labyrinth of confusion and dead ends

Caregivers and families often find the system to be a confusing labyrinth with many dead ends.

“Honestly, I think you'll get more information and help if you reach out to another parent who has been through the same thing. Professionals are knowledgeable in their field, but they don't have an overview of the entire system,” Murray said.

It's too late for Steve Labrie. His son Brandon is now in the Ingham County Jail awaiting a psychiatric evaluation by state psychiatrists.

“He was good. He was always very calm,” Steve Labrie said, reflecting on his son's past.

Brandon now faces life behind bars, and his mother's life ended tragically. Steve Labrie has no idea what kind of mental health care his son will receive in prison.

“I guess if he gets any, they're minimal. I wish I had those answers. I wish I knew,” Labrie said.

The state of mental health care in Michigan

Currently, Michigan operates five psychiatric hospitals with nearly 650 patients. There are plans to house patients from two older facilities at a new hospital in Northville.

Mental health experts also see a positive side to the COVID-19 pandemic: Younger people are now talking more openly about mental health and will shape our policies in the future.

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