County approves regional community corrections application and expands recovery court using opioid settlement funds

Clare County commissioners voted to apply for a regional community corrections program with Gladwin County and to expand the county’s recovery court using opioid settlement funds to add pretrial services and outreach.

Regional community corrections and pretrial services. County and judicial officials told the board a regional community corrections program would establish pretrial services intended to connect people charged with felonies at arraignment to assessment, required monitoring and community services. Presenters said the pretrial position is fully funded by the state grant program, covers salary and fringe, and would not require county general-fund dollars for staffing. The Gladwin County board has already approved joining the regional board; presenters said stakeholder meetings showed strong local support for pretrial monitoring to reduce recidivism and to ensure people comply with court-ordered conditions.

Recovery court expansion and opioid settlement funds. The board also approved an expansion of the county recovery court to provide pre-arrest and pretrial outreach and early intervention using opioid settlement funds. Judges and recovery court staff described the program: it provides assessments, monitoring, referral to treatment and long-term community supports and has received state and private grants over time. Officials said Clare County’s allocation of opioid settlement funds is about $50,000 per year for the near term (presenters described the award as approximately $50,000 a year for the next 18 months); the expansion would use that funding — plus other grant awards the recovery program has received — to fund one regional coordinator position and related outreach.

Board actions and appointments. The board voted to approve the community corrections resolution and application (agenda item supporting a regional advisory board) and to appoint a county commissioner as the county's representative and an alternate to the regional board. Commissioners also approved expanding the recovery court program and allocating opioid settlement dollars to fund the pretrial/outreach position. Supporters emphasized the programs are intended to reduce incarceration, connect people with services earlier and lower recidivism; some commissioners asked for periodic performance reporting and a year-one evaluation of hours, caseload and costs.

What was authorized. County staff and judges said the state program would cover the full cost of the pretrial position if the grant is awarded; the recovery court expansion will use opioid settlement money to fund a coordinator for both Clare and Gladwin Counties under the regional approach. Presenters said the recovery court has received targeted grant awards (presenters noted a target award of $97,000 for the recovery court in a state grant process and other specific awards for veterans services) and that program reporting will include recidivism metrics.