Wayne County approves $5 million jail mental‑health contract and multiple violence‑prevention grants

The Wayne County Commission on May 20 approved a package of five grants and agreements that county officials said will fund jail mental‑health treatment, community violence‑prevention programs and a safe‑storage public‑education campaign.

Commissioner Garza moved approval of items 1 through 5 under “Immediate Consideration”; the motion was supported by Commissioner Wilson and carried without a recorded roll call tally. County staff described each item and answered commissioners’ questions before the vote.

The most consequential item was a clinical outpatient services agreement with the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network to provide mental‑health treatment at the Wayne County Jail. Ebony McCann, division director for the Department of Health, Human and Veterans Services, said the agreement is for $5,000,000 annually with two one‑year renewal options at the sole discretion of the network. McCann said the funds pay for treatment services for inmates; she identified the contract value as $5,000,000 per year.

Separately, the commission approved a subrecipient agreement with Real Solutions Services for a violence‑prevention program not to exceed $300,000, with no county match. Lester Thomas, adult community corrections administrator, said the program will address community violence, recidivism and mental wellness and that recipients will be required to provide data on outcomes to the public safety committee.

The commission also approved amendment #1 to a multiyear Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) that funds the sheriff’s office and 14 municipal police departments. Regina Banks Hall and Jerome Bacorney of the sheriff’s administration said the amendment is a one‑year extension that moves the grant period through 2025 so remaining payments can be completed. Commissioner Anderson asked for the list of participating communities; staff said the list was provided at committee and will be supplied to commissioners. Commissioner Killeen asked whether the resolution delegates authority to the county executive to sign intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) with the 14 municipalities; staff said that delegation language has been included in prior multiyear grants and is not new.

The commission also approved amendment #1 to the Michigan State Police Burns State Crisis Intervention Program award to Wayne County, which extends the agreement through June 30, 2026 and increases the award by $1,500 to allow staff attendance at the Michigan Gun Violence Intervention Summit. Ebony McCann described the increase as solely to cover travel/attendance costs and said the grant is for community education on gun‑safety laws.

Finally, the commission approved a memorandum of understanding with the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan for $115,800 to run a safe‑storage ad campaign. Tony Guerrero, chief of legislation, grants and community relations for Wayne County Prosecutor Kim Worthy, said staff will issue a request for proposals to hire an ad agency and that the funds were only recently announced; the grant period runs through March of the next year, so the county must move quickly to spend the award.

The package was approved as a single vote. Commissioners asked for follow‑up reports: staff agreed to provide the list of JAG subrecipients and said performance data from the violence‑prevention grantees will be reported to the public safety committee.

Next steps identified by staff include executing the extension documents and agreements, issuing an RFP for the safe‑storage campaign and returning with program reports to committees or to the full commission as required.