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About 1 in 5 children in Michigan live in poverty. Bridge will explore the reasons behind this disturbing result and the ideas to address it.
Articles
Child abuse reports in Michigan are way down. Here’s why that’s worrisome
Child protection advocates warn that declining numbers of reported child abuse cases are in fact a red flag for widespread undetected abuse. With fewer children in schools or visiting their doctors, there are fewer opportunities for trusted adults outside the family to detect potential abuse.
Back to school puts financial strain on Michigan’s most vulnerable families
As the new school year ramps up and the economic downturn of the COVID-19 pandemic continues, parents are having to make tough financial decisions. Nonprofits and social service agencies say they see families struggling to purchase materials for school, access child care and put food on the table.
Judge closes case on Michigan teenager detained for not doing homework
The 15-year-old is now free from the court system. In a hearing, an Oakland County judge released her from probation after a caseworker said, “It is best for the family to move forward.”
Michigan’s new coronavirus order: masks for little kids at camp, child care
Following an outbreak at a camp, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday issued another executive order requiring masks for those older than 2. Child care officials say most already were taking similar precautions.
Prosecutors support releasing Michigan girl detained for not doing schoolwork
Although earlier this year prosecutors pushed for the detention of a Michigan high schooler during the COVID-19 pandemic, they have now repeatedly said they support sending her home to her mother.
Judge won’t free Michigan teen incarcerated after not doing online homework
At a hearing Monday, Judge Mary Ellen Brennan denied a motion to release a 15-year-old from a juvenile facility. “I think you are exactly where you are supposed to be,” Brennan said. “You are blooming there, but there is more work to be done.”
Michigan Supreme Court reviewing case of incarcerated teen
Attorneys for a 15-year-old sent to juvenile detention for not doing her schoolwork argued the teenager is not a threat to the community, contrary to a judge’s ruling. Now Michigan’s Supreme Court is stepping in.
Critics demand Michigan #FreeGrace after teen incarcerated for not doing schoolwork
After a ProPublica investigation, public officials are pushing for the release of a Black 15-year-old sent to juvenile detention after a judge ruled that not doing her online schoolwork violated her probation. A petition has thousands of signatures.
Birmingham student didn’t do classwork, was sent to juvenile detention
A 15-year-old in Michigan was incarcerated during the coronavirus pandemic after a judge ruled that not completing her schoolwork violated her probation. “It just doesn’t make any sense,” said the girl’s mother.
'End of an era’: American Indian Services closes after 49 years
With American Indian Services closing on July 9, thousands of urban Native Americans in the Detroit area are scrambling to find new options for culture-based care.
Stay home, don’t stay safe. Domestic violence calls up amid Michigan lockdown
Michigan’s coronavirus lockdown has abuse victims facing a hellish choice: Endure or flee to uncertainty of global pandemic. Many may be sticking it out, as calls for help have increased, but requests for shelter beds and to police are flat.
Separating bunks and no hugs for kids: coronavirus and Michigan’s homeless
It’s hard to practice “social distancing” with dozens of people in one room. How homeless shelters are trying to protect residents who are already among the most vulnerable to serious illness.
Rural children more than twice as likely to be homeless in Michigan
There aren’t enough early childhood education programs in the state to deal with the troubling rate of childhood homelessness, according to a new study. That could have lifelong ramifications.
Gov. Whitmer to Benton Harbor High: Raise scores, balance books or close
The state of Michigan released details of its one-year extension to the impoverished West Michigan school district. Improve performance of its high school or it will be closed next year and students sent to neighboring districts.
Teens raped in Michigan prisons can get day in court, Supreme Court says
The Michigan Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal made by the state in a lawsuit filed by former teen inmates alleging the Department of Corrections didn’t do enough to prevent them from being raped.
Where have all the babies gone? Michigan births lowest since 1944
In some counties, there are three funerals for every birth. That’s not a trend that bodes well for the state.
Suicides, often linked to opioids, spike in rural Michigan and among young
A new study finds links between two grim causes of death, but also poses some proven ways to reduce rates
In opioid war, studies urge medication. Michigan clinics push abstinence.
Slowly, addiction treatment centers in the state are shifting away from old-school abstinence to combining counseling with medication. But experts warn Michigan isn’t moving quickly enough
From opioid-fueled thief to grateful counselor to peers in Michigan
Kyle Hanshaw lied, stole and tricked doctors to get painkillers. Then he found a Bay City medication treatment program that worked.
Pregnant in rural Michigan? Fill up your gas tank for delivery day.
As rural hospitals close their obstetrics units, many mothers and their babies will pay a price in far longer journeys for hospital care