[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6522400,"mediaKeyId","5071040-d4ff56ce053af71834942f96180c3d12","parentId",5071040,"title","Committee approves submission of Community Corrections comprehensive plan and PA 511 grant application","audioSeconds",291,"startMs",3600000,"endMs",3891000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5071040-d4ff56ce053af71834942f96180c3d12&start=3600&end=3891","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5071040-d4ff56ce053af71834942f96180c3d12/thumbnail_3600000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6522400/Kent-County/Michigan/Committee-approves-submission-of-Community-Corrections-comprehensive-plan-and-PA-511-grant-application","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522400-e447be6903234ab7e6cc3b9ee200aa94/orig.mp4?Expires=1773579046&Signature=lL5AxgjwZTzF5wl5mTTHpyuw3kIwavHVqH-6sGAyZ0Dauk~uM-sGrXxE8VAX4Q5-9AaNxQaBzh2FTAF7fd6R~RjG5YgNhiQAF0Z20Sz~hHJx--u6m5IoYMMAc7E4pawrli5ymDR0FM0zo2u3wPIFgYzbK11Vd07hI6MX7-14OLPhkWs1duF~~V~ZjLa24TvUBiYWf-FULsziUonDkopvPH1j4a18V6bwho46YFfRujDLTwChMarAF8n0SM8GjNO~iPBH3IOxNS~ymC1j6EXTG9EW52R44pFlu1O-D3SpPPr6mQj87WQgMY~MBEGlzPF14djCBzKgSRsyJ5tXcm93Dw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kent County","date","2025-06-25T01:36:05Z","article","The Community Health and Safety Committee voted to recommend that the Kent County Board of Commissioners approve the annual Community Corrections comprehensive plan and grant application under Public Act 511 of 1988.

Jenny (staff) introduced the agenda item and Heather Blodgett, representing the local Office of Community Corrections under the seventeenth Circuit Court, summarized the request and the program portfolio. Blodgett said the funds support 14 programs that provide alternatives to incarceration and address criminogenic needs such as substance abuse, mental health and family and criminality factors.

Blodgett said the office requested funding from the state for community corrections programs for the coming year; exact county‑level awarded amounts will be determined by the state later in the summer. She described program funding as subject to year‑to‑year variation based on enrollments and judicial or probation referrals, and said the state Office of Community Corrections does not appear to be increasing overall funding significantly, though it continues to add boards in other counties.

Commissioner Michelle LeGrand moved to adopt the resolution recommending plan submission and funding application; Commissioner Hennessy seconded. The committee chair called for the vote: “All those in favor, say aye.” The motion carried with no recorded opposition.

The committee’s vote forwards the plan and application to the full Board of Commissioners for final approval and submission to the state; staff will notify the committee when the state announces allocation amounts.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Kent County Board of Commissioners - Community, Health, and Safety Committee Meeting - 06/24/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Community Health and Safety Committee voted to recommend that the Board of Commissioners approve the seventeenth Circuit Court Community Corrections comprehensive plan and grant application under PA 511 of 1988; Heather Blodgett summarized program goals and partners and said final state allocation will be known later this summer.","taxTitle","Kent County, Michigan","taxId",2830,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6522405,"Kent County health director outlines community‑wellness programs, infant‑mortality review and disease trends",1514,1834000,3348000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5071040-d4ff56ce053af71834942f96180c3d12&start=1834&end=3348","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5071040-d4ff56ce053af71834942f96180c3d12/thumbnail_1834000.jpg","/articles/6522405/Kent-County/Michigan/Kent-County-health-director-outlines-communitywellness-programs-infantmortality-review-and-disease-trends","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522405-d23741c91295b58b6d15492ded007386/orig.mp4?Expires=1773579046&Signature=NtTGxHZ94aBBC6YEYFiju5JirYUg1rLtUNtwqYAwALU6~TxsjBd8h2WrlibLftMQvWICvrdz3IEMudEGuDFJxC3igO9nIYnwXe98uqe-SJkeSMdIySY6jSooY3SmaRccR1yaIlGEly8JmSwB7hnwKPvTIvjoLG5312vlpVzc7MAhv1pdvjg6~dcvo7F2-GpaZVPgOVeo3gOh~xRlq1QGoAdUF7JWAsUtC30hHChIJvKxMhQ4b8PhFZMIdbdUntb~njNN7gdizwNNYDeyIBuBb5UjWuccSDdVUcRW4hfR2GY71N1YyfQOLUmLpwb5zRgP80Z~ecpSrFTzVI2DrEcWbg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Adam London, administrative health officer for the Kent County Health Department, gave the Community Health and Safety Committee an overview of the department’s community wellness division on June 24, focusing on maternal‑infant services, child screenings, care coordination and disease surveillance.

“During 2024, [the maternal infant health program] served 1,500 families, with nurses, social workers, and dietitians providing almost 9,000 home visits for families,” London said, describing the program’s goal of supporting healthy, full‑term births.

London summarized the department’s school screening work: more than 36,000 hearing screenings and about 50,000 vision screenings were performed for county students in the prior year, with the department referring children who screened positive to follow‑up care. Joanne Hoganson, division director, described Kent County’s rollout of the Michigan 2022 kindergarten oral‑health assessment requirement and said the county provides screenings through a contract with My Community Dental Clinics; she said nearly 8,000 children start kindergarten each year in the county and that the department has completed almost 2,000 screens so far this academic year.

London outlined the children’s special health care services program — a state‑funded program the county administers — saying the department has increased capacity and now serves about 4,400 enrolled individuals locally. He and Hoganson described nurses who coordinate complex care needs, connect families, and help secure medications and community resources.

The department highlighted public‑health initiatives: school‑based health education focused on substance prevention, the Center for Community Strategy’s coordination of the county’s community health needs assessment (a multihospital collaboration), and distribution of small grants to local nonprofits tied to community health improvement plan priorities.

On mortality and surveillance, London summarized infant‑mortality data: Kent County’s overall infant‑mortality rate (about 6 per 1,000) compares with the Michigan rate (about 7 per 1,000), while the rate for white infants in the county is roughly 3.5 to 4 per 1,000; the rate for Black infants has fluctuated between about 10 and 15 per 1,000 in recent years, London said. He described the county’s infant mortality review team and the areas it targets, including perinatal causes, congenital anomalies and sleep‑related deaths.

The health department also reported progress on the opioid response: the county had 80 overdose deaths in 2024, 45 of which were opioid‑related, a decline from peak years. London said the opioid task force — a multiagency group led by the health department — guided settlement fund distribution and naloxone training and distribution.

On notifiable disease surveillance, the department’s December 2024 report showed increases in some diagnoses; London said a rise in reported HIV and certain gastrointestinal illnesses is likely a function of expanded testing and surveillance rather than an unexplained spike in prevalence. He said Lyme disease appears to be increasing and that pertussis, a vaccine‑preventable disease, rose in the last year amid decreasing vaccine coverage trends.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about program funding sources, the state‑funded children’s special health care services program, and screening rollouts; department staff described state funding for the children’s program and use of Medicaid to support services. The presentation was informational; no committee action was taken.","Dr. Adam London and Division Director Joanne Hoganson briefed commissioners on community wellness services — maternal and child programs, school vision/hearing screenings, kindergarten oral‑health screening, children's special health care services, opioid task force results and notifiable disease trends for 2024.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6522409,"West Michigan Sports Commission tells Kent County commissioners events drove large visitor spending and hotel stays",1389,507000,1896000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5071040-d4ff56ce053af71834942f96180c3d12&start=507&end=1896","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5071040-d4ff56ce053af71834942f96180c3d12/thumbnail_507000.jpg","/articles/6522409/Kent-County/Michigan/West-Michigan-Sports-Commission-tells-Kent-County-commissioners-events-drove-large-visitor-spending-and-hotel-stays","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522409-a342e9efef97c1ce710c0072ef449d22/orig.mp4?Expires=1773579046&Signature=YMXJd8YKSr8pPVDRC8t8HOg4Qv0AiZGT32rXJHv1wfDFmJU0bWBRgyX539LtZPAF8-PJ0kMfu0LTWZowthP3lLwD1hn-H1~daMopUFbax0jnaxOsOz46s1O8QCf0NgTxTrtrp3uKFCrefqp2wS-tjvEL0h8Akd3-K5ZRM8LjhnOpKesxF7uWap91-U35XJpm85oEGA9XeRfAHadvTmiOK~vF9Yxs1GWj0QBRiMFfULVZ6cdmMsJ5s76SHLFAyC1WP~ZWCqV~gZR4fN4kEw1JOcih109PrD8LViQtiLxVlZC9sTGuN5wIYStABOTk3jreimGu1LRCWgJWx2QmwgoHPA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mike Gusweiler, president of the West Michigan Sports Commission, told the Kent County Board of Commissioners’ Community Health and Safety Committee on June 24 that the commission’s work is aimed at generating economic activity and enhancing quality of life through sports.

“We’re an 18 year old organization, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and our work is to be an economic generator in the county,” Gusweiler said, adding that the commission has grown from three full‑time staff to over ten and employs more than 50 seasonal workers each summer.

The commission reported several 2024 metrics: 112 events, “over $90,000,000 of direct visitor spending,” and nearly 50,000 hotel room nights, figures Gusweiler attributed to a mix of statewide, regional and national events the commission attracts and supports. He said the commission has returned more than $3.5 million to the county through the lodging tax tied to events.

Gusweiler described the commission’s funding mix as primarily coming from a contract with Experience Grand Rapids tied to the hotel assessment and lodging tax, supplemented by Meijer Sports Complex revenues (field rentals, concessions, parking), registration and sponsorship income from the Meijer State Games, and fundraising.

He updated commissioners on capital and program projects at the Meijer Sports Complex, including a synthetic turf championship baseball field and a “Miracle Field” for participants with disabilities. The commission’s “winning streak” capital campaign, he said, combined county and state support with federal contributions and about $8 million in private corporate philanthropic gifts to develop what he called a more than $14 million community facility.

When commissioners asked about the proposed soccer stadium and how it would affect the commission’s work, Gusweiler said the commission has been involved in planning discussions and that it is working with stadium partners on a booking policy for non‑soccer dates. He described a proposed formal agreement under which the sports commission would have the lead to bring events to non‑soccer dates “at least 12 months out,” subject to performance thresholds such as anticipated room nights.

On fundraising, Gusweiler said fundraising comprised a larger share of the commission’s budget during the capital campaign but would likely settle to an estimated 5–6 percent of operations going forward after hiring a director of development.

No formal action by the committee was taken on the presentation; commissioners thanked the commission for its work and accepted the update.","Mike Gusweiler, president of the West Michigan Sports Commission, told the Community Health and Safety Committee that the commission’s events and facilities produced substantial visitor spending, hotel room nights and community programming in 2024 and described fundraising and facility upgrades at the Meijer Sports Complex.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee approves submission of Community Corrections comprehensive plan and PA 511 grant application

Kent County health director outlines community‑wellness programs, infant‑mortality review and disease trends

West Michigan Sports Commission tells Kent County commissioners events drove large visitor spending and hotel stays