Veterans Treatment Court Holds Graduation Ceremony
On April 4, County Administrator Vanderberg participated in the Kent County Veterans Treatment Court Graduation Ceremony. Two graduates were recognized, along with other Treatment Court participants who have achieved key milestones on the path to graduation.
At the close of calendar year 2022, 18 Veterans were participating in the Treatment Court and 11 of the 18 began the program during 2022. Three Veterans graduated during 2022. No participants experienced a new arrest or new conviction while in the program. During the course of the year, between 13 and 15 of the Treatment Court participants were experiencing a military-related substance use and/or mental health condition.
The Veterans Treatment Court was established in 2015 and is administered by Wyoming’s 62A District Court. It is a voluntary program accepting non-violent misdemeanor and felony cases from all jurisdictions in Kent County. The program promotes sobriety, recovery and stability for Veterans by coordinating clinical treatment, support services, and mentoring. The Treatment Court also provides supervision of each participant’s probationary case, and one of the potential benefits of successful completion of court requirements is a reduction of initial charges. The Kent County Veterans Millage partially funds the Treatment Court, as well as other programs and supports for Veterans through Kent County Veterans Services.
If you would like more information about the Court, call 616-257-9836 or visit Kent County Veterans Treatment Court (wyomingmi.gov). For additional Kent County Veteran services, call 616-632-5722 or visit Veterans Services - Kent County, Michigan (accesskent.com).
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Federal Grants Guide Available
(Peter Dickow, West Michigan Region Director, Sen. Peters)
U.S. Senator Gary Peters recently released a Federal Grants Guide for Municipalities. This useful guide highlights a cross section of opportunities where local government entities are eligible applicants. Click here to access the guide. If you have any questions, contact Peter Dickow at 616-233-9150 or peter_dickow@peters.senate.gov.
Honoring Cesar E. Chavez
Kent County staff and Commissioners recently had the opportunity to engage in the 2023 Cesar E. Chavez Social Justice Activities planned by The Committee to Honor Cesar E. Chavez. This year’s theme was From Humble Beginnings, CESAR Created Greatness and included a Social Justice march, Community Gathering Program at The Potter’s House Chapel, and a Unity Luncheon at the Maya Mexican Grill.
The day was full of history, music, celebration, reflection and culture commemorating Cesar’s vision to engage all, particularly youth, to carry on his vision and values for a better world. Congrats to The Committee to Honor Cesar E. Chavez for their hard work, community service and planning another wonderful community event.
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Secure Your Chems Workshop Scheduled
Our Local Emergency Planning Committee is hosting a free workshop on how to prevent chemical related incidents. Representatives from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation will be discussing how to secure chemicals within your facility. The event will be held on May 5, 2023 from 8 a.m. - Noon at the Kent County Sheriff's Office.
Space is limited to 55 participants. Click here to learn more about the training and to register your attendance.
Community Action's Role In Housing Stability
(Gustavo Perez, Kent County Community Action Director)
The Board of Commissioners received briefings from Housing Next and Housing Kent on March 9, 2023. The presentations outlined the 2022 Grand Rapids and Kent County Housing Needs Assessment and the Housing Kent Housing Continuum. A recording of both presentations is available on www.accesskent.com.
The diagram below illustrates how Kent County Community Action (KCCA) plays a role across the Housing Continuum to support county residents at all stages of the path to housing stability. If you need support or have questions about KCCA services, call 616-632-7950 or visit Community Action - Kent County, Michigan (accesskent.com).
New Employee Recruiting Video Released Last Week
Our Human Resources Department partnered with Be Heard Video Productions on a series of videos where residents can hear directly from Kent County employees on why they love working for the County and why they should consider joining our team.
We encourage you to watch the video by clicking on the image below and then visit accesskent.com/jobs to see our available opportunities.
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