Kent County child-welfare report: complaints down in April, hotel use falls; new Teaming Model and prevention funding noted

At the May 20, 2026 Kent County Department of Health & Human Services meeting, Interim Child Welfare Director Noelle Bair reported that the county received fewer complaints in April than in March, though April is generally a high month for complaint assignments. She said hotel usage for emergency family housing decreased in April, without providing a specific count.

Bair described current local office contracts covering parent education, FTBS services, WRAP and life-skills programming and said contract spending trends remain steady and generally within limits. She said the county and court are discussing next year’s County Child Care Fund programs and that the department is working on a nurse-advocate program proposal for families with children who have special medical needs and a substance-use contract aimed at families in a precontemplation stage.

On prevention, Kent Prevention was selected to participate in the Western Michigan Perinatal Quality Collaborative Substance Use Workgroup Rapid QI Project to improve referral processes to substance-use treatment services; the department said it will receive a $5,000 stipend upon completion of the project. Bair also described a new Teaming Model that will change how CPS investigations and services are delivered.

The board received these informational updates; no formal adoption or budget vote was recorded during the meeting.