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Kent County rolls out foster care service pilot program

Kent County seal
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Kent County

Kent County is introducing a new program this weekend intended to improve outcomes for foster care children. This Kent County private/public partnership will change how foster care services are delivered.

The pilot program is called West Michigan Partnership for Children or WMPC. It will link local childcare agencies like Bethany Christian Services, Catholic Charities West Michigan, D.A. Blodgett/St. John’s, Samaritas, and Wellspring Lutheran Services with county services Network 180, the 17th Circuit Court and the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services.

In a news release the county explains, “WMPC will pilot a performance-based contract, utilizing a case rate that incentivizes permanency while allowing for flexibility and creativity in funds. Staff will use software that allows for predictive analytics to project successful outcomes and flag cases that are at risk.”

It will also form an advisory committee reviewing in-home and out-of-home child welfare service performance.

The West Michigan partnership for Children launches Sunday, October 1st.

Patrick Center, WGVU News.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.