Catholic Charities of Ingham, Eaton & Clinton Counties v. Hertel

For years, Catholic Charities of Ingham, Eaton & Clinton Counties has faithfully served vulnerable communities in the Lansing region. The Catholic ministry provides healthcare, dental, and mental health services; substance use treatment; counseling; financial coaching; adoption and foster care; assistance with food, clothing, and prescription drugs; refugee resettlement; and immigration legal assistance. Yet when government officials learned of the ministry’s religious beliefs about abortion and contraception—guided by the teachings of the Catholic Church on the sanctity of life and the dignity of the human person—they launched an investigation, crafted new policies targeting those beliefs, and ultimately stripped the ministry of critically needed state funding.

Case Timeline

• March 2026: Days after a meeting with Catholic Charities, Mid-State Health Network adopted a new policy requiring faith-based providers to disclose religiously motivated service limitations.
• May 2026: Despite trying to comply with this new policy, a Discontinuation Letter was issued, stripping Cristo Rey of its Women’s Specialty Services and Enhanced Women’s Services designation.
• June 2026: Michigan failed to respond to Catholic Charities’ letter, which asked for a stay of the discontinuation, prompting Catholic Charities to file a complaint in federal court.