Jackson County nonprofit details trauma‑focused foster care, school mental health and underfunded guardianship services

Dr. Bob Powell, CEO of Family Service and Children’s Aid, told the Michigan House Families and Veterans Committee that trauma underlies the agency’s work serving children, families and vulnerable adults and urged lawmakers to increase foster‑care rates and guardianship payment levels.

Powell spoke about the agency’s foster‑care caseload, behavioral‑health services, juvenile diversion and a guardian program for vulnerable adults, and highlighted gaps in funding and oversight that he said leave counties and families without consistent access to services.

Powell said Family Service and Children’s Aid, a private nonprofit based in Jackson County, provides services on a sliding scale and “we don’t turn anybody away for any reason, as long as they’re eligible for whatever services we offer.” He described funding as a “piecemeal” mix of DHHS contracts, grants, United Way and donations.

The agency reported 185 youth in foster care in Jackson County and, Powell said, received “347 protective services referrals” last month, of which “164” were investigated. He described recent foster‑care admissions including four children under age 4 removed for severe neglect and recounted cases he said were tied to parental substance use and the trafficking of two girls ages 10 and 12.

On behavioral health, Powell said the agency served about 700 people last year and now runs on‑site school mental‑health services that serve 250 students “trauma informed,” with therapists certified in trauma‑focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF‑CBT). He said on‑site care reduces transportation barriers — “our public transit system ends at 6 in Jackson” — and that the program will expand into the Western School District after a new DHHS contract.

Powell described a juvenile diversion program he started nearly 30 years ago that now serves about 200 youths annually and was revised after new state juvenile‑justice standards required that youth placed on probation receive services rather than mere monitoring. The diversion work, he said, addresses truancy, minor possession and vaping through school‑based groups and parent programming; Powell reported an “over 80 percent success rate” on self‑reported measures.

Powell also described the agency’s guardianship work for vulnerable adults. He said the guardian program serves about 250 people and that state rules allow the agency to bill $83 a month for guardian services; the fee, he said, must cover staff and program costs and is not collected when the ward has income to pay care costs. Powell said a Michigan Guardian Association survey found 26 counties without guardian services and 25 additional counties unable to accept indigent cases — a gap he summarized as leaving “only 51% of Michigan counties” able to serve the most vulnerable adult populations.

“Trauma, trauma, trauma,” Powell said repeatedly, urging prevention and training. He noted the agency has offered more than 300 ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) trainings to more than 12,000 people and encouraged legislators to take the three‑hour virtual session.

Committee members asked about program details and safeguards. Rep. Burns asked whether staff engage with teachers and principals; Powell described school‑based staff training, participation in staff meetings and the Handle With Care initiative — a process in which police notify schools when a child experienced a police‑involved incident so educators can “handle with care.” Rep. Thompson pressed on guardianship oversight and the stigma of some guardian providers; Powell said the state lacks a centralized Office of Guardian and that auditing beyond contract reviews is limited.

Powell identified two legislative priorities: raising foster‑care rates and increasing fees or oversight for guardianship services. Rep. Schmaltz said she is working on a guardianship bill the committee is considering.

Powell closed by stressing prevention: “Until you get to the problem, like unresolved trauma, they’re always gonna struggle with the drug use as well,” and urged funding for early‑intervention and parent‑education programs.

Less critical program details discussed included parent education (Powell said the agency worked with 318 parents last year), an in‑home parent education option for families with transportation barriers, and partnerships with Western Michigan University, Jackson College and regional behavioral‑health networks.

Powell’s presentation was discussion‑focused; the committee did not take legislative action during his testimony.

For follow up, Powell pointed committee members to the Michigan Federation for Children and Families and the Michigan Guardian Association for statewide data and advocacy.