Seeing ‘RED’ -- Michigan officials seek to fund best ideas for juvenile justice reform

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - A rare opportunity is open now to those who think they could improve Michigan’s juvenile justice system.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is requesting community members, private providers, or local units of government send in proposals for how to reduce racial and ethnic disparities (RED) in the juvenile justice system. The department expects to award $436,712 toward the effort over a two-year period.

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“Data that is available shows that minority youth, in certain jurisdictions, are arrested at a higher rate than their white counterparts,” a MDHHS representative told News 10. “Since RED falls under our purview of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, we must ensure we are addressing this issue in our state.”

A request for proposals has been issued to the community, but it’s not as simple as sending an email. To apply, community members are asked to submit a proposal through EGrAMS website.

The issue is being handled by the health department because the Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice, which is responsible for the funding of the grant award, is an advisory board housed within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

MDHHS wrote in a release, “The committee works collaboratively with MDHHS and other agencies, and has been instrumental in changing practices, policies and philosophies to improve the juvenile justice system.”

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Grant applications will be accepted through the EGrAMS program through 3 p.m. on May 12. The program period begins July 1, 2022, and ends Sept. 30, 2022, although successful applicants may be able to receive funding through Sept. 30, 2023 depending on how much funding is available and how well their proposal is performing.

To learn how to apply, visit the EGrAMS website and select “About EGrAMS” link in the left panel to access the “Competitive Application Instructions” training manual.

To apply, go to the ‘Current Grants’ section under the ‘Childrens Services Agency’ link and selecting the ‘REDII-2022′ grant program.

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