To: Dale K. Weighill, Governmental Operations Committee Chairperson
From: Marlene Collick, Deputy Director of Community Corrections
title
RE: Approval of a request to rename and reorganize the Department of Community Corrections to the Department of Community Engagement and Justice Services
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
Genesee County Community Corrections is requesting the department be reorganized and renamed to Community Engagement and Justice Services to appropriately match the duties being conducted. Allowing this will formalize the opioid settlement process within the department (Organizational Chart Attached).
BACKGROUND:
Why the rename? As noted as our #1 county priority for this fiscal year, the Community Corrections’ title hosts a bad connotation today. When said, eyes raise like we’re arresting humans. Public Act 511 creates alternatives to incarceration! We work with all community organizations in every facet (housing, employment, substance use disorder, mental health, health). We not only serve the justice impacted; we serve all humans, especially now that our department has been selected by the Board of Commissioners to host the opioid settlement funds.
Other Community Corrections entities across the state have also begun to rename themselves, like Oakland County Community Corrections to Pretrial and Justice Services.
DISCUSSION:
Being renamed to Genesee County Community Engagement & Justice Services will allow us to continue to host an array of services, such as, Pretrial Servies (assessment and supervision), Reentry Services and Opioid Settlement Services. Having a title that truly fits our activities will allow outreach to take place seamlessly. Currently, we must take the extra time to explain what we do exactly because of our current title.
It is only proper of us to evolve with the times too!
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
Name change to all documents.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
None
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
Name change to signs.
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
Name change to website and phone system.
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
The Genese County Board of Commissioners have committed to creating a Healthy, Livable & Safe Community. Renaming the department to Genesee County Community Engagement & Justice Services helps this goal by assisting all humans experiencing needs in the community, not just the justice impacted. This will impact both public health and public safety.
resolution
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of County Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the request by the Deputy Director of the Department of Community Corrections to authorize reorganizing the structure of the department and renaming the department to the Department of Community Engagement and Justice Services is approved (a copy of the memorandum request and supporting documents being on file with the official records of the September 3, 2025 meeting of the Governmental Operations Committee of this Board).