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Data: Guttmacher; Map: Jacque Schrag/Axios

The number of clinics in Michigan providing abortions fell 12% over a nearly two-year period ending in December, according to a recently released Guttmacher Institute report.

Why it matters: The Trump administration's withholding of Title X family planning funding for Planned Parenthood and other health care providers likely contributed to the decline, per the report.

State of play: Last April, Planned Parenthood of Michigan (PPMI) announced it would close three health centers in Jackson, Petoskey and Marquette, consolidate its Ann Arbor operations and cut staff by 10 percent — while bulking up its virtual services.

Trump's moves to restrict access to care dealt "a devastating financial blow to health care providers like PPMI," Planned Parenthood said in a press release at the time.

Planned Parenthood continues to face larger federal cuts, but per Politico, Title X funds were later restored.

PPMI didn't respond to Axios' request for comment about the state of care in Michigan.

The latest: In Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's final State of the State address, she noted her administration's and partners' efforts to protect "fundamental freedoms for all," including making abortion a constitutional right.

The other side: Michigan also maintains a thriving anti-abortion movement. Proposed legislation dubbed "common sense" by a Right to Life of Michigan leader is making its way through the state Legislature, per Michigan Advance.

It would require abortion providers to report details on each abortion, as well as some demographics and medical history of recipients.

The package of bills would face a challenge getting through Whitmer.

Zoom out: Nationally, federal funding challenges and new abortion restrictions reduced the number of brick-and-mortar abortion clinics during the period studied by Guttmacher, March 2024 to December 2025.

Context: Online-only clinics have become crucial to maintaining abortion access since the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion in 2022. Telehealth-prescribed medication abortion is becoming more prevalent.

But in-person clinics still accounted for 80% of abortions in the first half of 2025, in the 37 states that don't have total abortion bans, Guttmacher found.

Across the country, the number of clinics fell 2%. It's a small figure, though Guttmacher notes that it masks churn and uncertainty, with clinics across states opening, closing, pausing and resuming operations.

Michigan abortion clinics drop 12% over two years

Federal funding changes impacted Planned Parenthood clinics in Michigan.

A map showing the change in the number of clinics providing abortions from March 2024 to December 2025. Overall there's been a decrease of 2% in clinics. 19 states had a decrease in clinics, including Nebraska and Alaska (-33%). Nine states had an increase, including Ohio (33%), Wisconsin (25%) and 

The number of clinics in Michigan providing <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="abortions" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2022/05/09/the-state-of-abortion-in-michigan" data-vars-content-id="0eb5f897-412d-45cc-8ac7-0bc1e178f789" data-vars-headline="Michigan abortion clinics drop 12% over two years" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2022/05/09/the-state-of-abortion-in-michigan" target="_self">abortions</a> fell 12% over a nearly two-year period ending in December, according to a recently released Guttmacher Institute report.Why it matters: The Trump administration&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="withholding" data-vars-click-url="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/title-x-grantees-and-clinics-affected-by-the-trump-administrations-funding-freeze/" data-vars-content-id="0eb5f897-412d-45cc-8ac7-0bc1e178f789" data-vars-headline="Michigan abortion clinics drop 12% over two years" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/title-x-grantees-and-clinics-affected-by-the-trump-administrations-funding-freeze/" target="_blank">withholding</a> of Title X <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="family planning funding" data-vars-click-url="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/03/31/planned-parenthood-title-x-funding/" data-vars-content-id="0eb5f897-412d-45cc-8ac7-0bc1e178f789" data-vars-headline="Michigan abortion clinics drop 12% over two years" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/03/31/planned-parenthood-title-x-funding/" target="_blank">family planning funding</a> for Planned Parenthood and other health care providers likely contributed to the decline, per <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.guttmacher.org/report/abortion-clinics-united-states-2024-2025#:~:text=Number%20of%20clinics%20providing%20abortions%20and%20changes%20over%20time%2C%20by%20state" data-vars-content-id="0eb5f897-412d-45cc-8ac7-0bc1e178f789" data-vars-headline="Michigan abortion clinics drop 12% over two years" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.guttmacher.org/report/abortion-clinics-united-states-2024-2025#:~:text=Number%20of%20clinics%20providing%20abortions%20and%20changes%20over%20time%2C%20by%20state" target="_blank">the report</a>.

Health

News

Data: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; Map: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Nearly two years after the debut of a revamped U.S. suicide hotline, Michigan tops the national average for its 988 crisis call answer rate.

The big picture: Congress gave states $1 billion to build out the 988 hotline, amid nationwide concern over worsening mental health, with the expectation that states would establish their own long-term funding to operate call centers and crisis services.

But those efforts have been uneven, contributing to significantly lower response times in certain states. As with much of the health care system, the level of crisis services available to people depends greatly on where they live.

By the numbers: In Michigan in May, 90% of 988 calls were answered, or more than 8,800 out of nearly 9,800 calls. Other states' answer rates range from 66% in Illinois to 97% in Montana.

Michigan's average speed to answer calls in May was 17 seconds.

How it works: 988 is a 24/7 toll-free call and text line where those in need of assistance with behavioral health problems can seek crisis support, including for suicide or substance use issues. Loved ones can also call.

What they're saying: "The compassionate staff who answer these calls within seconds are well-trained to help and connect those experiencing crisis with support and resources," Elizabeth Hertel, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services director, said in a news release.

Flashback: 988 replaced the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline with an easier-to-remember number.

What's next: Michigan's government handles calls, while national centers handle chat and texts. But the state plans to implement text and chat technology next year, according to the news release.

The state started marketing and public awareness efforts for 988 last year. Michigan's 988 line has been funded through the state general fund and federal grants.

Michigan's 988 crisis hotline rollout

Congress gave states $1 billion to build out the hotline, amid concern over worsening mental health.

Choropleth map of U.S. states showing the answer rate for 988 suicide and crisis prevention calls in May 2024. Nationally, 89% of the nearly 545,000 calls received were answered by a counselor. Mississippi, Montana and Rhode Island had the highest answer rates, at 97%. Nevada, Alaska and Illinois ha

Nearly two years after the debut of a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="revamped U.S. suicide hotline" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/07/14/988-hotline-suicide-prevention" data-vars-content-id="4dd3f73a-43d7-4959-9d87-a4d9189ef924" data-vars-headline="Michigan&#x27;s 988 crisis hotline rollout" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/07/14/988-hotline-suicide-prevention" target="_self">revamped U.S. suicide hotline</a>, Michigan tops the national average for its 988 crisis call answer rate.The big picture: Congress gave states $1 billion to build out the 988 hotline, amid nationwide concern over <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="worsening mental health" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/05/24/mental-health-pandemic" data-vars-content-id="4dd3f73a-43d7-4959-9d87-a4d9189ef924" data-vars-headline="Michigan&#x27;s 988 crisis hotline rollout" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/05/24/mental-health-pandemic" target="_self">worsening mental health</a>, with the expectation that states would establish their own long-term funding to operate call centers and crisis services.

Opioid misuse is as much an economic problem as a public health one, according to a comprehensive analysis provided first to Axios that shows Michigan spends an average of more than $700,000 annually on each such case.

Why it matters: The cost burden falls unevenly across the country, with states in a belt stretching through Appalachia to New England typically having bigger caseloads and a higher cost per case.

Context: Opioid use disorder — defined as frequent opioid use and unsuccessful efforts to quit — is estimated to affect more than 6 million people in the United States, costing the nation an estimated $4 trillion last year, per health care consulting firm Avalere Health.

The cumulative economic burden on patients, including years of life lost and reduced quality of life, exceeded $3 trillion in 2024, Avalere estimated.

Zoom in: Michigan borders the states with the highest share of opioid misuse cases.

At $742,799, our average cost per case is slightly higher than the national average, per the analysis from Avalere, which used 2017 figures to project 2024 net costs.

Zoom out: Private businesses absorbed more than $467 billion in costs from lost productivity and health insurance costs, while the federal government bore about $118 billion in Medicare and other federal insurance costs, lost taxes and criminal justice expenses.

It cost state and local governments more than $94 billion, with about $42 billion of that going toward criminal justice costs.

What they're saying: Reports such as Avalere's help local officials across the state better understand the opioid crisis and how to address it with the state's $1.6 billion in opioid settlement funds, Joyce Fetrow, project director of the Northern Michigan Opioid Response Consortium, tells Axios.

Every dollar spent on recovery provides a 10% return, Fetrow says. Investment in recovery services leads more people to spend on housing, transportation and other needs instead of their addiction.

Follow the money: The projected cost of opioid use disorder in 2024 ranged from $419,527 per case in Idaho to more than $2.4 million in D.C.

Some of the regional variation in costs is from lost tax revenue, which varies by state. The local availability of treatment for opioid use disorder may also drive the cost, said Avalere's Margaret Scott.

The opioid crisis' economic impact in Michigan

Michigan borders states with the highest share of opioid misuse cases.

A choropleth map of the United States showing the estimated cost per case of opioid use disorder for 2024. Costs range from $500k to $1.5 million. The darkest shades are found in West Virginia and D.C., indicating the highest costs. The lightest shades represent lower costs in parts of the West.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Opioid misuse" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/09/24/opioid-abuse-treatments-barriers" data-vars-content-id="c6f03bcb-5fa9-4f4c-ad90-8951ea7bd946" data-vars-headline="The opioid crisis&#x27; economic impact in Michigan" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/09/24/opioid-abuse-treatments-barriers" target="_self">Opioid misuse</a> is as much an economic problem as a public health one, according to a comprehensive analysis provided first to Axios that shows Michigan spends an average of more than $700,000 annually on each such case.Why it matters: The cost burden falls <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="unevenly" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/28/charted-medical-claims-related-to-opioid-dependence" data-vars-content-id="c6f03bcb-5fa9-4f4c-ad90-8951ea7bd946" data-vars-headline="The opioid crisis&#x27; economic impact in Michigan" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/28/charted-medical-claims-related-to-opioid-dependence" target="_self">unevenly</a> across the country, with states in a belt stretching through Appalachia to New England typically having bigger caseloads and a higher cost per case.

Maya Goldman

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