Published on August 31, 2026

Bronson Earns Designation as ALS Association Recognized Treatment Center
Bronson is one of only five ALS Association-designated centers in Michigan and the only in southwest Michigan


KALAMAZOO, Mich. – For people living with ALS, traveling long distances for coordinated specialty care can be exhausting, costly and physically difficult. Now, patients in southwest Michigan have a nationally recognized multidisciplinary ALS clinic close to home.

Bronson Neuroscience Center’s ALS Clinic has been named one of the ALS Association’s Recognized Treatment Centers®, making it the only multidisciplinary ALS clinic in southwest Michigan. While Bronson’s ALS clinic was established in 2013, the team has been working toward this designation since 2019.

The recognition comes as Bronson has seen increased need for ALS services and continues working to expand access for patients and caregivers across southwest Michigan.

The designation recognizes clinics that meet ALS Association standards for coordinated multidisciplinary care and connection to ALS-specific resources.

The team-based care model includes a neurologist, advanced practice provider, sleep medicine specialist, registered nurse coordinator, rehabilitation therapists, dietitian, social worker, respiratory therapist, mobility and orthotics specialists, and ALS Association representatives. During the monthly clinic, patients and caregivers meet with multiple members of the care team in one location. Then the team is able to review patient needs, align the next steps and coordinate follow-up care.

For many families, that can mean fewer separate appointments, less travel and more coordinated support as the disease progresses.

“For people living with ALS, getting to appointments can be one of the hardest parts of care,” said Dr. Michelle Crooks, clinical neurophysiologist at Bronson Neuroscience Center. “This recognition reflects years of work to bring the right specialists together, reduce the burden on patients and caregivers, and help families receive specialized support closer to home.”

ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that can affect movement, speech, swallowing and breathing. The recognition reflects the long-standing commitment of the clinic team, including Dr. Crooks and RN coordinator Libby Austin, who have been vital in helping the program work toward this designation.

For more information about ALS care at Bronson Neuroscience Center, visit bronsonhealth.com.

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About Bronson Methodist Hospital

Bronson Methodist Hospital, the flagship of Bronson Healthcare, is located at 601 John St. in downtown Kalamazoo, Mich. Now celebrating 125 years, Bronson advances its Health and Harmony brand promise by delivering coordinated, compassionate care that helps people and communities thrive. Recognized by Premier, Inc. as the No. 1 academic medical center in the nation, Bronson Methodist Hospital offers 434 licensed beds, all‑private rooms, and comprehensive specialty care, with advanced capabilities in critical care as a Level I Trauma Center; in neurological care as a Joint Commission certified Comprehensive Stroke Center; in cardiac care as one of the nation’s 50 top cardiovascular hospitals; in obstetrics as the leading BirthPlace and only high‑risk pregnancy and birthing center in southwest Michigan; and in pediatrics as one of only six children's hospitals in the state. Bronson Healthcare is recognized across the state and nationally for exceptional quality care by Healthgrades, Fortune and Premier, Inc., and ranked as a top employer by Forbes, Newsweek and the National Association for Business Resources (NABR).