Kelsey Klont
Contributing Writer
(Photo by Kelsey Klont/TCJ)
On Wednesday, October 16, Eaton County Board of Commissioners held a ribbon cutting for the unveiling of the Eaton County Youth Facility expansion.
The expansion plan was started nearly two and a half years when Eaton County Probate Judge Amanda Pollard wrote the application for the grant that was available, which would fund add-ons to youth facilities around the state.
With help from State Representative of District 76 Angela Witwer, the budget allotted for the Youth Facility expansion was raised to $10 million, last year Witwer reserved $3 million of the state budget specifically for this project. Those funds went to nearly double the amount of square footage of the Youth Facility, adding 13,922 square feet, when opened will allow the Eaton County Youth Facility to have a residential sector and detention sector.
With this new expansion the Youth Facility has now added two housing pods with a total of 14 new beds, one classroom for 8 – 16 students, two new offices, multipurpose rooms that are accessible for each pod, and an indoor and outdoor recreational spaces. “The County could not run the youth facility as they had wanted to, now juveniles can get the proper rehabilitation that they need to become a better person to society and stay in the area.” Prosecutor Doug Lloyd said on the benefits of the expansion at the groundbreaking ceremony.
As Eaton County Youth Facility Director Jeremy Mulvany said it was a ‘seamless process’ thanks to his staff who maintained their day-to-day operations while he was planning the details and overview of the expansion.
The expansion was brought together from partnerships between Eaton County Probate Court and Youth Facility employees, Granger Construction, BYCE & Associates, and Securitecture. All of these partners were intentional with this expansion, building this space to be therapeutic for the children who will face time in there, everything down to the doorknobs was thoroughly thought about. The colors were passed by the Youth Facility’s Psychiatrist to be calming for the kids, who can comfortably focus on their rehabilitation. They took extreme care about this space being a residential area, not so institutionalized, upon touring the facility it feels like a college dorm. As it was intended that way so the kids can work and plan their future, self-goals, and become a better person for society when they get out.
What is also therapeutic about this expansion to the Eaton County Youth Facility is the amount of natural sunlight, which improves mood and helps one feel connected to society, from the windows that are installed up high on the walls near the ceiling of the indoor recreational facility. The multipurpose rooms are also beneficial for the kids, allowing them to be somewhere besides their cell or the recreational areas.
The expansion allows for expanded programs and services such as substance abuse, therapy, and education from Grand Ledge teachers. The ribbon cutting was to unveil the expanded area to State and County officials before the facility will begin housing Eaton County’s troubled youth to get the help that they need. The Eaton County Youth Facility with its newly built expansion is located at 822 Courthouse Drive in the County complex.
