On Thursday, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer created the Michigan Juvenile Residential Facilities Advisory Committee to review procedures for juvenile residential facilities and make recommendations to improve the system and better serve Michigan’s youth. The committee, which will be housed in the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), will work across state government to implement evidence-based practices in areas of need, explore solutions to increase juvenile access to behavioral health beds, and ensure kids in Michigan’s juvenile justice system have the resources and opportunities to succeed.
“Michigan must continue to lead on juvenile justice and ensure every kid in Michigan can reach their full potential,” said Whitmer. “The Juvenile Residential Facilities Advisory Committee will build on the recommendations of the Juvenile Justice Reform Task Force and take a comprehensive look at residence standards, staff training, case management, and data collection to address the challenges kids in our residential system face. I will continue working hard to keep our communities safe and invest in Michigan’s kids – and their futures.”
Thursday’s announcement builds on the work of the Michigan Juvenile Justice Reform Task Force, which recommended the creation of a residential facilities advisory committee. Establishment of the committee demonstrates Whitmer’s commitment to following through with the Task Force’s report and reforming Michigan’s juvenile justice system.
“I was incredibly proud to chair the Michigan Juvenile Justice Reform Task Force,” said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “Today’s announcement is a step forward in the continuing work of the task force and will help us address critical issues within the juvenile justice system. The committee will bring together experts, advocates, and Michiganders with real lived experience to make a difference for kids. Governor Whitmer and I will work with anyone to build a juvenile justice system in Michigan that works for everyone.”
“I am passionate about making sure our youth get the support and treatment they need,” said MDHHS Director Elizbeth Hertel. “With the backing of Gov. Whitmer and Lt. Gov. Gilchrist, I look forward to working with everyone on the committee who will play an important part in our joint effort to ensure stable, safe placement for children. At MDHHS, we take very seriously our role in helping all youth receive the best services to address behavioral and mental health needs so they can grow up to realize their potential, achieve their dreams and be productive members of society.”
“The Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice and the Division of Juvenile Justice (MDHHS) have been working on the residential problems in our state,” said Bob Higgins, chair of the Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice. “It is gratifying to have Governor Whitmer create the Residential Advisory Committee, which was a recommendation of the Task Force on Juvenile Justice, to bring together experts and advocates to craft recommendations for improvements and solutions.”
“This committee is a vital step forward as Michigan addresses the acute lack of appropriate juvenile residential beds and provides judges critically-needed options for those youth who are in need of a higher level of intervention outside their community,” said Michigan Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Clement. “This crisis is profound, and Michigan must take every possible step to make sure safe and effective placements are available for the long term. Anything less is unacceptable. Most importantly, I stress that funding for such placements is only part of the solution. We must have high, evidence-based standards, a commitment to continuous improvement in quality, ways to measure progress, alternatives to out-of-home placements, and a plan to make sure we are effectively allocating resources to build the nation’s safest, most effective, juvenile residential placement system.”
“I am excited to see the task force recommendation of a Residential Advisory Council become a reality,” said Kimberly Thomas, clinical professor at the University of Michigan Law School. “The Council will be able to address the desperate gaps in therapeutic treatment for the segment of Michigan’s young people who are most in need of support and can develop and implement evidence-based statewide standards to ensure the quality provision of care to these children.”
“Today’s announcement is a step forward to get Michigan’s youth the support they need to thrive,” said Cameron Fraser, a member of the Michigan Juvenile Justice Reform Task Force. “It builds on the hard work done by members of the Juvenile Justice Reform Task Force and will continue our data driven approach to improving the juvenile justice system. I am grateful for the partnership of my fellow Task Force members and every advocate for Michigan’s kids.”
“Today’s announcement will make a difference for youth in Michigan’s juvenile justice system,” said State Senator Sylvia Santana. “It will build on the work of the Juvenile Justice Reform Task Force and explore data-driven solutions that are in the best interest of the youth in these facilities. I am grateful for Governor Whitmer and every committed advocate who got this done, and I look forward to continuing this critical work.”
“After sitting down with stakeholders and the governor’s team, we agreed that some priorities could be done without passing additional legislation,” said State Representative Sarah Lightner. “Everyone recognized the need to address the residential facility shortcomings and lack of investment. I hope to continue working with all these stakeholders and my colleagues in the legislature to make Michigan a leader in juvenile justice reforms.”
“As a member of the Michigan Juvenile Justice Reform Task Force, I applaud the governor’s decision to follow through with our recommendations to create the Juvenile Residential Facilities Advisory Committee,” said State Representative Brenda Carter. “The creation of this committee will help ensure that Michigan’s children in the juvenile justice system have the resources and opportunities to succeed.”
“Progress is achieved via a recognition that change should not be made for the sole purpose of making changes, but rather change should occur as a result of a pragmatic assessment of what truly needs to be done to create improvement,” said Sheriff Steven Hinkley, “I am proud to have been part of a process that I believe will serve as a catalyst to initiate positive change and progress in our juvenile justice system.”
The Juvenile Residential Facilities Advisory Committee will serve as an advisory body within MDHHS and include the Director of the Department, the Executive Director of the Children’s Services Agency, or their designees, and a representative from the State Court Administrative Office. The committee will also include representatives from the juvenile justice community and residential facilities, prosecutors, defense attorneys, family court administrators, probate or circuit court judges, local governments, tribal governments, mental health advocates, behavioral specialists, and individuals with lived experience in the juvenile justice residential system.
Individuals who meet the requirements of this committee and are interested in appointment can apply at www.michigan.gov/Whit mer/Appointments. Click “Apply Now” and select “Michigan Juvenile Residential Facilities Advisory Committee” when prompted in the application.
The committee will review licensing, staff training, length-of-stay, and case management standards and make recommendations to standardize guidelines and improve procedures throughout the state. The committee will promote evidence-based practices to treat and measure progress towards outcomes for youth in residential facilities and may develop recommendations to support a statewide strategic plan to increase juvenile access to behavioral health beds.
