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Juvenile Justice Association of Michigan Conference

Team members from Growth Works’ Case Management Organization, attended the mid-winter conference for the Juvenile Justice Association of Michigan (JJAM) in Midland Michigan. This session focused on working with traumatized youth, suicide prevention and secondary trauma from presenters from the area including Dr. James Henry. Thank you to our incredible team who is constantly working to provide support and resources that will benefit the youth in our care.

The Juvenile Justice Association of Michigan was formed in 1973 by the County Juvenile Officer’s Association and the Family Court Workers Association. JJAM is actively working to provide representation for all juvenile justice personnel, promoting and maintaining standards of efficiency within the Michigan Family Justice System and encouraging innovative legislation, resolutions and other desirable efforts representing the common interest of children and their families in the State of Michigan.

Judicial Honors Event

On February 6th, Growth Works hosted the Judicial Honors Event, recognizing Judge Kathleen McCann, Judge Tina Brooks Green, and Judge Ronald Lowe as they retire from the bench. Their commitment to justice and rehabilitation aligns with the mission of Growth Works.

Their leadership in juvenile justice reform and community-based initiatives has provided second chances and fostered recovery. At Growth Works, we recognize that true transformation occurs with the right support and belief in one’s potential-a philosophy these judges have embodied in their careers/

At the Judicial Honors Event, we celebrate their significant impact on our courts and communities. Their legacy will continue to inspire our mission of restoring hope, supporting change and improving the lives of all we serve. Thank you to everyone who came out to make this event a tremendous success!

Pathways to Potential

Growth Works was awarded an Eagles for Children grant for the Pathways to Potential Project! This would not have been possible without the partnership and support from the Canton Community Foundation and the Local Impact Alliance. Kyle Wright, Growth Works Development Specialist accepted the recognition at the Annual Awards Ceremony, a night dedicated to celebrating the incredible impact made together … for the kids!

The Pathways to Potential Project provides local youth with unique therapeutic opportunities that foster emotional expression, personal growth, and resilience. By offering a safe and supportive environment, these activities allow adolescents to channel their trauma into constructive outlets, empowering them to develop healthy coping mechanisms and build positive relationships. This program ultimately helps local children overcome challenges, promoting their emotional well-being and long-term success.

The Pathways to Potential Project will offer structured activities that mentally and physically engage youth, including art therapy, music workshops, team-building exercises, outdoor excursions, and mindfulness training. The project will provide a safe space for local youth to develop interpersonal skills, self-awareness, and emotional regulation, equipping them with the tools necessary to navigate life’s challenges in a healthy and productive manner.

Eagles for Children® is an organization that uses a simple, fun and engaging program at private golf clubs to raise funds to support local children’s charities that benefit disadvantaged children.  For more information about Eagles for Children, click here.

Growth Works in Washington D.C.

Last week, leadership from the Growth Works Care Management Organization attended the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Coordinating Council’s national conference in Washington DC. “This conference was a great opportunity to collaborate with leaders in the juvenile justice space on a national level and I couldn’t be more proud of the team at Growth Works,” CEO Nick Griswold. The conference brought together youth and families, grantees, leading researchers, practitioners, and other stakeholders from across the U.S. who are working to transform juvenile justice. Our team particularly enjoyed hearing from Bryan Stevenson, founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative. We look forward to taking back what we learned from the conference and using it to shape the next 50 years!

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, OJJDP, provides national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to youth delinquency and victimization. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, Public Law 93–415, as amended, established the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to support local and state efforts to prevent delinquency and improve juvenile justice systems.The Office helps states, localities, and Tribes develop effective and equitable juvenile justice systems that create safer communities and empower youth to lead productive lives. To learn more, visit OJJDP.

2025 Annual Mental Health Conference

Suicide prevention is a critical issue for all mental health practitioners. School mental health staff often work on isolated teams and can be unaware of resources outside of their experience. They often feel isolated and are at higher risk of burnout. The third annual Mental Health Conference was hosted by Growth Works and the Hope Empowerment Coalition, formerly the Suicide Prevention Coalition. On November 5th, more than 375 participants, representing more than 8 local school districts and members from the community gathered at Thurston High School in Redford Township for a day of continuing education. This day of learning was designed with school mental health care teams in mind and included keynotes from Dr. Robert Fink and Matthew Swartz, LMSW, with the goal of informing conversations around mental health while building positive forces within the school community. The conference hosted 35 breakout presentation topics for participants to choose from, presented by a variety of school mental health specialists and Michigan organizations that work to prevent and also support families through mental health challenges. Attendees learned how to access services, had the opportunity to meet providers, and ask questions about how they can help support students and families. In addition 37 participants were trained as Question, Persuade and Respond, QPR, Gatekeepers. We want to thank our amazing team for all of the hard work and dedication that went into planning this year’s conference.

For more information about the Hope Empowerment Coalition, click here. And don’t forget to Save the Date, November 4th 2025, for the fourth annual Mental Health Conference.

Staff testimonial about joining Growth Works

Growth Works is always looking for hardworking and caring individuals to help us live out our mission in the communities we serve. One of our staff members took the time to share their experience and thoughts on joining the Growth Works team.

“I recently transitioned to a new workplace and for the first time, felt confident in the knowledge and skills that I could bring to this new role. As I began training, that feeling slowly began to fade. For three years, I did all I could to excel in my previous position, learning each aspect of the facility I served in, eventually becoming someone who had mastered the role and could provide training to my colleagues.

I knew that as I entered into this new space, I’d need to transition back to being a learner, finding ways to listen and understand that I wouldn’t have all the answers right away. Despite knowing the perspective I needed to take, I’ve still found myself feeling inadequate and overwhelmed by the differences of the new systems, tasks, and even faces.

Though it’s been a hard transition, I’ve realized that mostly has to do with how overwhelmingly positive my workplace is and how genuinely helpful my coworkers have been.

While I may have never pictured myself moving across the state away from my established community, I am so thankful to be in a work environment that truly cares for me, not only as their employee, but as another human. This alone has made such a major difference in my mental health and, in turn, my work and personal life.

Our work world is changing, day by day, but I think we can all agree that flexibility and genuine care for employees is becoming the priority for most workers out there. We say all humans deserve to be heard, seen, and cared for, in all spaces. Why is this limited when it comes to the place we spend most of our time and effort in each week?

Money, benefits, long term goals, and passion are all important to finding the best role for you. But these days, I’d like to think that who I’m surrounded by, the way that I feel in my work environment, and how I’m supported outweigh most of those categories. Maybe I’m the odd one out, but my work means so much more to me than a paycheck. I’m thankful to have a workplace where I mean so much more than a paycheck too.”

If you are interested in joining the team and making a difference at Growth Works, visit our Careers page to learn all about our incredible benefits and open job positing.