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County hears presentations from Westland Youth Assistance and Southwest Counseling Solutions on juvenile prevention programs
Summary
Providers described prevention and diversion services serving about 50–80 youths, including case management, life‑skills groups, parent support, mentoring and school‑based work; Southwest Counseling reported zero youths charged with new offenses while actively enrolled in 2025 and high treatment‑goal attainment.
Representatives from Westland Youth Assistance and Southwest Counseling Solutions briefed the Wayne County commission on youth prevention and diversion services, describing program components, referral sources and early outcomes.
Rachel Davis, Department Director for Juvenile Services, and Nathaniel McQueen, Chief Program Officer for Juvenile Youth Services, introduced the Westland program and said it focuses on diversion and prevention to keep youth from entering deeper juvenile justice involvement. Program staff described individualized case management, weekly face‑to‑face contact, life‑skills peer groups, parent‑guardian support groups and transportation assistance; they estimated current enrollment between 60 and 80 youths.
Marquita Felder of Southwest Counseling Solutions said her organization provides weekly individual and family counseling, in‑school life‑skills classes, mentoring and transportation; she reported that for 2025 the organization served about 50 youths and recorded zero youths who received a formal authorized petition or a new criminal charge while actively enrolled. "For 2025...our numbers were zero," Felder said when asked about new petitions while enrolled.
Commissioners asked about parental participation, measures of success, recidivism and wraparound supports. Providers said parental participation varies and that they use incentives such as gift cards to increase attendance; they also described attendance goals, measurable treatment plans and case‑by‑case wraparound referrals (food, housing, legal services) through community partners.
Commissioners thanked providers and requested additional program statistics and success metrics be sent to the commission for follow‑up.
