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State DHHS reports caseload shifts and community‑action agency outlines weatherization and fundraisers
Summary
A Michigan Department of Health and Human Services representative reported declines in Medicaid caseloads since the end of the public‑health emergency and offered program counts; the Community Action Agency described its home weatherization, utility assistance and the Walk for Warmth fundraiser.
Kendra Sandler, representing the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) for Ottawa County, and Jennifer Ryalski of the Community Action Agency provided program updates at the Jan. 14 committee meeting.
Sandler presented program counts for November: 248 individuals received cash assistance (Family Independence Program); 17,793 individuals received food assistance (SNAP/Bridge Card); 62 received State Disability Assistance; 1,234 received child daycare assistance. She said Ottawa County had 32,695 Medicaid enrollees in November — a decline of 3,379 from the prior year following the end of the federal public‑health emergency — and that Healthy Michigan enrollment remained higher than pre‑2020 levels (11,168 reported). Overall, Sandler said MDHHS served 46,198 Ottawa County residents across assistance programs in November (unduplicated count).
Sandler also reported child‑welfare figures as of Dec. 31: 134 active Child Protective Services investigations (up 11 from the prior year); 75 ongoing CPS cases (up 18); 38 direct foster‑care cases and 44 privatized foster‑care cases (82 total, down 16 year‑over‑year); 75 licensed foster homes through DHHS (down 17). Sandler said Ottawa County has the second‑largest refugee population in Michigan (231 reported, mostly Cuban) and that the county’s local DHHS office engages in many partnership and outreach efforts.
Jennifer Ryalski of the Community Action Agency described that agency’s focus — weatherization, food programs, emergency home repair and utility assistance — and noted it does not receive county general fund dollars but is a county department for administrative purposes. Ryalski invited commissioners to the agency’s main fundraiser, Walk for Warmth, scheduled for Friday, March 7 at EV Construction in Holland, and noted the agency would receive a social justice award from the Human Relations Commission the following evening at Holland City Hall.
Commissioners asked for copies of the presentations and data; Sandler and Ryalski said they would provide materials for the meeting packet and follow up on additional data requests.
