Kent County by the Numbers
A Problem-Solving Court (PSC) is a specialized court docket for certain defendants with mental illness or other underlying issues (substance abuse) that may manifest as criminal behavior. PSCs substitute a problem-solving model for traditional criminal court processing. Kent County's 17th Circuit Court Problem-Solving Courts aim to reduce incidence of people with serious mental illness or severe emotional disturbances spending time in jail or detention, link and connect participants to mental health services, and improve wellbeing for the participants and community. Below are outcomes of two of our PSCs.
Kent County American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Community Engagement & Decision-Making Process
Last week, we sent a communication to members of the community updating them on the ARPA priorities and ideas survey results, the Board of Commissioners decision-making process and introduced our Community Engagement Dashboard. Click here to see the full communication.
Welcome Plan Celebration
(Hollin De La Cruz, Welcome Plan Coordinator)
On August 29, the Kent County Welcome Plan team hosted a reception at the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. There were nearly 100 in attendance from 50 different organizations across the county. We are humbled and grateful for all the support!
We are now entering a new phase of the Welcome Plan and inviting anyone in the community to join the Kent County Welcome Plan Collaborative. The Collaborative will be divided into priority areas where individuals will meet monthly in focus groups to accomplish the goals and recommendations written into the plan. The Welcome Plan was drafted by the community and we need community support to be successful in this work. If you are interested in joining the collaborative, please fill out this brief survey: Kent County Welcome Plan Engagement Survey
September 9-18 is Welcoming Week! Join us in celebrating this global holiday with some fun activities. Participants who complete and submit an activity sheet with at least 10 completed activities will be entered in a chance to win a gift basket! Find out more information at our Welcome Plan Facebook Page
Shiga Toxin-producing E. Coli (STEC)
(Adam London, Health Department)
Since the end of July, there has been a dramatic uptick in STEC cases, not only in Kent County, but statewide. STEC is a specific type of E. coli that produces at least one toxin that makes people sick. Kent County has 13 confirmed and four probable cases associated with the multi-state outbreak with four hospitalizations.
Our Environmental Health staff visited locations to review the condition of the facilities and practices of the staff and collect information on potential food products that could be related to the outbreak. These records were given to the Michigan Department of Rural and Agricultural Development (MDARD) to aid in the investigation. This surveillance indicated that the issue didn’t come from a specific location, but was most likely the result of something in the supply chain.
A specific food has not yet been confirmed as the source of this outbreak, but many sick people reported eating sandwiches with romaine lettuce at Wendy’s restaurants before getting sick. Based on this information, Wendy’s has taken the precautionary measure of removing the romaine lettuce being used in sandwiches from restaurants in that region.
While this outbreak started being noticed in Kent and Ottawa counties, it has been now associated with other counties across the state and in other states including Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York, and Kentucky. Therefore, the investigation now lies with the Food and Drug Administration because of supply chain involvement.
We are still working with our state partners to keep situational awareness in this outbreak. The CDC’s investigation notice can be found here.
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