Richard Smart, former deputy court administrator, Wayne County Circuit Court - Juvenile Division, will be presented with the Daniel J. Wright Lifetime Achievement Award for Exemplary Service to Michigan’s Families and Children during the Michigan Supreme Court Adoption Day ceremony Tuesday, November 22, at the Michigan Hall of Justice in Lansing.
The award is being presented to Smart in recognition of his 24 years of dedicated service to youth in Metropolitan Detroit as deputy court administrator of the Wayne County Juvenile Division. On hand to present the award will be Justices Elizabeth T. Clement and Megan K. Cavanagh, co-liaisons on Child Welfare.
The award, jointly sponsored by the Michigan Supreme Court and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, was established in honor of the late Daniel J. Wright, who formerly served as a director in the State Court Administrative Office (Friend of the Court Bureau and Child Welfare Services). Wright helped create the state’s “adoption forums” to deal with adoption barriers that were keeping children in foster care, and worked on legislation to give children in the foster care system a voice in decisions about their lives. The law now requires courts to consult the child when holding a hearing about permanent home placement.
Also during the Michigan Supreme Court’s Adoption Day ceremony, the Maura D. Corrigan Foster Family Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to licensed foster parents Steven and Rhonda Wurtz of Kalkaska.
The award is being presented to Steven and Rhonda for their outstanding dedication to fostering children over 330 children. Their story is one of service to a large number of children, but it is the quality of care they provide that makes it stand out. Through clever and unique methods, the Wurtz enrich their children’s lives by hosting foreign exchange students. In the past 12 years, they have hosted students from over 11 countries. When the Wurtz go on vacation, they do not outsource the care of their children. Every child living at their residence goes with them. Vacations have included trips to Orlando, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Thailand, London, Paris, Rome, and Switzerland.
The award, sponsored by the Michigan Supreme Court, was established in honor of former Justice Corrigan, who as chief justice, focused on finding forever homes for children in foster care. Corrigan, who later served as the head of MDHHS, is responsible for serving some of Michigan’s most vulnerable citizens and has been widely credited with updating and improving the child welfare system.
On hand to present the award to the Wurtz will be Maura D. Corrigan and Antrim County Probate Court Judge Norman R. Hayes.
With the theme of “Giving Thanks for Families,” courts statewide will celebrate Adoption Day 2022. Held on or near the Tuesday before Thanksgiving each year, Adoption Day has become a holiday tradition, highlighting the importance of adoption and the needs of children in foster care. Many courts will publicly finalize adoptions, while others will hold informational events to reach potential adoptive parents.
The Michigan Supreme Court will livestream its Adoption Day ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. at www.courts.michigan.gov/court-livestream.
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