Griffin Place outlines ARPA-funded Community Information Exchange to connect residents to services

Griffin Place presented the Community Information Exchange, or CIE, to the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners on March 18, saying the program will link residents directly to services through navigators and a shared referral database.

"Community Information Exchange is a formal approach to developing, implementing, and sustaining a shared ecosystem for improving the overall quality of life for community," said Tia Whitley, vice president of community and partner engagement at Griffin Place. She said the system enables agencies to refer clients to navigators who then make a “warm handoff,” follow up and record whether needs were met.

The CIE differs, presenters said, from 2-1-1-style directories because it supports direct referrals and interagency communication. Danetta Julian, CIE program manager, described a case in which a mother connected through a Justice Lifted youth program enrolled for a GED after a CIE navigator helped her register and complete the application process.

Commissioners asked how the initiative relates to prior county ARPA investments in gun violence prevention. Commissioner Gisler noted that the agenda item referenced gun violence funding but the presentation focused on navigation and referrals. County staff and Griffin Place responded that the CIE supports the county’s Blueprint for Peace by helping coordinate services that address drivers of violence — such as housing instability, food insecurity and lack of access to healthcare — and by accepting referrals from street outreach workers who respond to violent incidents.

Commissioners pressed on governance and data: who owns and sees data, and what reporting the board can expect. Whitley said Griffin Place does not “own” the data; the governance structure gives participating agencies access according to data-sharing agreements. She said some partners will only provide aggregate feedback while service partners and advisory members may share more detailed referral outcomes. The county’s administrator confirmed county ARPA funds of $200,000 are being considered for the CIE; the city committed a separate $1,000,000 ARPA allocation to related work but those funds are not commingled.

Commissioners asked about performance and oversight. Whitley said the CIE technology captures referrals, service matches, demographic breakdowns and whether needs are met, and that the program will provide periodic data to partners and the county. Several commissioners asked staff to ensure clear reporting back to the board on outcomes tied to violence-prevention goals.

Presenters listed early partners and potential in‑person navigator locations, including Griffin Place’s new office at 505 Park Street, YMCA sites and the Douglas Community Association. The presenters also said CIE aligns with state-level efforts and other Michigan CIE networks.

The presentation closed with staff and commissioners agreeing the next steps include drafting an ARPA award agreement describing allowable uses, reporting requirements and governance obligations so the board can review how the county funds would be used and measured.

Ending: The county and Griffin Place said they will return with an agreement and reporting plan describing the $200,000 ARPA award, data-sharing safeguards and regular outcome reports tied to the Blueprint for Peace goals.