Wayne County community corrections presents new program model, cites staffing shortfalls and vendor delays while seeking more state funds

Lester Thomas, administrator for adult community corrections, told the Wayne County Community Corrections Advisory Board that staff had prepared a new program overview — including a logic model, SWOT analysis and key performance indicators — to provide the data the division will use when requesting additional state grant money.

The overview is intended to show what the division is achieving and where it is falling short so the county can justify asking for more Michigan Department of Corrections funding, Thomas said. "The goal would be to ask for more money," he said.

The board heard that the division has hired a county qualitative specialist, Jamille, who will produce quarterly charts and data to track utilization and vendors' compliance with contract targets. Ebony McCann, division director for transition services, said the data will be used in the department's application to the state and to identify when program or staffing changes are needed.

Board members pressed staff about coverage in courtrooms and whether case-differentiation staff were visiting judges across the bench or only arraignment panels. McCann said the staff member assigned to arraignment-on-information (AOI) courtrooms is working closely with the prosecutor's office and that staff will review the daily jail docket to identify eligible participants. Lisa Allen, department supervisor in the case-differentiation unit, is currently the primary person working in courtrooms while the division considers whether to refill a recently vacated position.

Staffing constraints were a central concern. Thomas and McCann said the unit has fewer line staff than before the pandemic; the division previously had nine community corrections employees and now has the equivalent of three to four line staff plus supervisors. The board discussed whether some administrative duties could be restructured to free positions for direct program work.

McCann said the Michigan Department of Corrections (state grantor) limits administrative costs to 30% of the total award, which affects how many county-funded staff can be included in a grant budget: "administrative costs cannot exceed 30% of the total award that we received from the Michigan Department of Corrections," she said. The board was told the division will first need to show program utilization to justify requests for additional staff to state grantors.

A vendor chosen to provide a violence-prevention program has delayed starting services because it has not secured all required insurance. County staff said contractors must carry up to $2,000,000 of coverage in some areas; the vendor already had three of four required policies and was seeking a workers' compensation quote. McCann said the contract will proceed through the county's procurement and commission-approval process once insurance is in place. Staff said they were following up with procurement about contingencies if a vendor cannot timely obtain required insurance.

Staff also said the Michigan Department of Corrections application deadline was extended from May 1 to June 1 as the state implements an electronic filing system. Thomas said the new process should substantially reduce application time if it is ready as scheduled.

Board members and county officials discussed the effect of rising jail populations on program demand. A Wayne County sheriff's office representative told the board the sheriff's office currently manages 2,222 people, with 1,361 in the jail and 861 out on tether, and projected the jail's average daily population could rise to roughly 1,450–1,600 if current trends continue. Officials said that rising custody totals increase demand for community-based alternatives and bolster the argument for larger state funding.

Members also raised concerns about mental-health services and the backlog for forensic beds. A long-serving defense attorney on the board described frequent jail admissions of people with untreated serious mental illness and urged expansion of mental-health court and diversion services; staff said they meet monthly with the regional forensic center to track bed availability and that dozens of people were awaiting placements.

The board reviewed next steps: staff will produce quarterly utilization reports from the newly engaged qualitative specialist, continue outreach to the bench and prosecutors to increase referrals, follow up with procurement on vendor insurance contingencies, and finalize the grant application using the logic-model data.

Votes at a glance: The board approved the meeting minutes for July 24, 2024, and November 13, 2024; the motion carried (individual roll-call votes were not recorded in the transcript provided).