Granger family continues support of local health care with major donation for new behavioral health hospital

LANSING, Mich. – Building on a long history of support for health care in Mid-Michigan, a local family has pledged the largest gift in University of Michigan Health-Sparrow history for the new behavioral health hospital planned for Lansing.

The gift from the Alton L. and Janice M. Granger Charitable Gift Fund will help finance the construction, renovation and operation of what will be known as the Janice M. Granger Behavioral Health Building. Project leaders plan to break ground in August and open the facility in 2028. The U-M Board of Regents formally accepted the gift today.

The hospital, to be located behind UM Health-Sparrow Lansing near Pennsylvania Avenue and Jerome Street, will help address the lack of mental health resources in Mid-Michigan. The 64-bed facility will serve adult, geriatric and – in a first for the area – child and adolescent patients. 

“We are proud to do our part to address the behavioral health crisis, which impacts nearly every family,” said Alton Granger. “We know how important it is for behavioral health patients to have access to services locally and for families to know that their loved one is receiving care at a state-of-the-art facility.”

Alton and the late Janice Granger, past winners of the Founders’ Award, UM Health-Sparrow’s highest honor, and the entire Granger family have built a legacy of service in the region, uplifting countless lives through their generosity.

Their past gifts have helped fund the Granger Pediatric Emergency Department at UM Health-Sparrow Lansing, the neurosciences center and much more. Alton Granger is also a past member of the Sparrow Foundation Board of Directors.   

More than 1 in 5 adults in the United States experienced mental illness in 2024 and more than 1 in 7 youth ages 6-17 have a mental health disorder.

“The gift from the Grangers will help ensure these patients receive the care they deserve, right here in Lansing. It will have a tremendous impact for generations to come and will have a very positive effect on local families,” said Margaret Dimond, Regional President, U-M Health.

Rising youth mental health cases have contributed to thousands of behavioral health patients visiting the UM Health-Sparrow Lansing Emergency Department every year. The increase in behavioral health cases creates a backlog in emergency departments because there are few psychiatric facilities to accept them. 

“This new hospital will enhance care in the region and add 16 new beds for child/adolescent patients. Right now, most pediatric patients are transferred over an hour away from Lansing,” said Victor Hong, M.D., a Clinical Associate Professor in Psychiatry for Michigan Medicine.

The new behavioral health hospital will be in a park-like setting and feature a contemporary, holistic and healing environment. The design features indoor and outdoor gardens, light-filled spaces, and modern security and safety enhancements for patient and team members.

The hospital will include adult and geriatric psychiatry units both for short-term and community-based treatment and the first-of-its-kind pediatric unit. The children’s unit will provide age-appropriate and family-centered care to young people experiencing acute mental health challenges.

"This extraordinary gift from the Granger family is a transformative investment in the health and well-being of Mid-Michigan," said David C. Miller, M.D., M.P.H., CEO of Michigan Medicine and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Michigan. "As communities across our state face growing behavioral health needs, our partnership with the Granger family will help expand access to high-quality, compassionate care for children, adults, and families closer to home. We are deeply grateful to the Granger family for their vision, leadership, and commitment to strengthening the health of the communities we serve for generations to come."

To learn more about the project, go to UofMHealthSparrow.org/departments-conditions/all-departments/psychiatry-behavioral-health/enhancing-behavioral-health-lansing.

About the Look to Michigan campaign

Made possible by U‑M’s momentum and vast expertise to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges, the Look to Michigan campaign is raising funds for health and wellness, a sustainable future, civic engagement, advanced technology, and quality education for all. Look to Michigan includes all three U‑M campuses, Michigan Medicine, Athletics, and all university units. Partnering with our passionate donor community, we are committed to supporting all students, fostering inclusivity, and recognizing the arts as a creative catalyst for learning. With this foundation, we boldly move forward, dedicated to serving the public good and discovering what’s next for a better tomorrow. For more information, visit giving.umich.edu/um/look-to-michigan/the-campaign.

 About Michigan Medicine

At Michigan Medicine, we advance health to serve Michigan and the world. We pursue excellence every day in our 11 hospitals and hundreds of clinics statewide, as well as educate the next generation of physicians, health professionals and scientists in our U‑M Medical School. 

Michigan Medicine includes U‑M Medical School and University of Michigan Health, which includes the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital, University Hospital, the Frankel Cardiovascular Center, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan Health-West, University of Michigan Health-Sparrow and the Rogel Cancer Center. The U‑M Medical School is one of the nation’s biomedical research powerhouses, with total research awards of more than $750 million.