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Wixom police social worker hired; shared position to begin training, expected to start in April
Summary
Council was briefed that the city’s social worker position has been filled through OCHN, is completing in-house training and will rotate among four police departments beginning around April 1; funding for year one comes from ARPA through OCHN and an additional state grant may extend the program.
Council members at the March 11, 2025, Wixom City Council meeting received an update that a social worker hired through Oakland Community Health Network (OCHN) will begin working with local police departments after completing in-house training and is slated to start around April 1.
The Police Chief (unnamed in the transcript) said the social worker "hasn't actually started. He's been hired by OCHN. He's in his training period right now doing his in house training." The chief said the social worker will spend time training with each of the participating departments and is expected to begin approximately April 1; staff plan to introduce him at a council meeting in early April.
Council members asked whether the position is shared among multiple jurisdictions and whether call volumes differ across departments. The chief said the social worker will be shared across four police departments — Wixom, Walled Lake, Wolverine Lake and White Lake — and that training will include two days at each department to learn local programs and ride with officers. The chief said calls for service in White Lake and Wixom are similar, with Walled Lake slightly lower and Wolverine Lake having relatively few calls.
On funding, staff said the first year of the position is covered by an ARPA grant administered through OCHN and that a state of Michigan grant was expected to cover up to three additional years; staff said they were working to extend the state grant to cover a fourth year so the program could be supported for roughly four years.
Council member questions and staff answers focused on timing, shared-service logistics and funding continuity. The chief said staff will return in early April to introduce the social worker to council members and provide further status updates.
